The King of Thieves
by BakOtaku
Summary: In the village of the Gerudo, the first boy in 100 years is born. A great Doom lies upon this boy; the boy named Ganondorf. How will the journey through his lifetime shape this boy into the most powerful tyrant Hyrule has ever known?
1. A King is Born

Hello all This is the first chapter of my first fanfic. I decided to take an approach I haven't seen before, and give the story of Ganondorf's entire life. I hope you enjoy, please review!

Update: Wow, this site is retarted sometimes. First, my underscores were removed. Fine, I used hyphens. Nope, those were removed. Now, out of nowhere, my asteriks separating scenes are gone. Correct me if I'm wrong, but several centered asteriks, spaced apart, has been the convention for changing scenes in literature for a number of years, no? So anyways... I'm updating this for like the fourth time. Hopefully it'll stay for once.

* * *

Miranii lay on a white cloth, panting as the sweat ran down her body. A number of people surrounded her; all women. One knelt next to the padded wooden slab that passed for a bed and peered between Mirannii's legs.

"You are doing well," she said, although her voice was so monotone as to sound almost bored. Miranii gained no reassurance from the woman's statement. "I... do not need you to tell me that... Hama," she managed between breaths.

"If you would like to do this alone, Miranii, I will be happy to leave." The midwife looked up at Miranii, waiting for her apology.

"Of course not, Hama... I... ah!... I spoke rashly. These last months have not been... Auuugh!" Miranii's entire body tensed, the firm muscles of her arms straining as she gripped the bed. A spasm rocked her body, and she felt the contents of her swollen belly move ever so slightly downward.

"The baby is coming. No more talking. Focus on breathing and pushing."

The other women in the room continued the repeating chorus they had been chanting since Miranii had entered labor. It was a welcoming song, meant to bestow the gods' blessings, sung for every child of the tribe as they are brought into the world.

Open your eyes  
New one  
Greet the light  
The eye of Din. 

Join the earth  
New one  
Walk the sands  
The bed of Naryu.

Taste the air  
New one  
Feel the winds  
The breath of Farore.

Miranii continued to shake, but she held her composure, and did not allow another cry of weakness to escape her lips. Every inch of her dark skin glistened, and her orange hair hung in disarray behind her. Rhythmically, she pushed... pushed... pushed again.

A tuft of hair, almost as deeply red as blood, became visible to Hama. "The head is beginning to crown," she informed her patient, still without any hint of emotion.

Minutes later, enough of the head had emerged that Hama could grip onto it. She pulled lightly, accompanying Miranii's thrusts. The woman on the bed cringed as the baby's shoulders cleared her opening. Every second seemed to last forever, a new kind of pain introducing itself at every push. Still, she persevered, and eventually the baby had was almost halfway out.

With a final sigh from Miranii, the baby's pelvic bones moved past their barrier, and the legs followed quickly. The chanting immediately stopped as every woman surrounding the bed fainted. Hama's breath caught in her throat.

"Hama, what has happened?" Miranii's question held a tinge of panic.

"I... I don't believe it." Though they had been friends for years, Miranii could not remember a single instance where Hama's voice had held any emotion such as it did now. "It is a boy. The first Gerudo boy in 100 years. You have given birth to the King of Thieves!"

Hama somehow found the composure to cut the umbilical cord, and stood on shaking legs. Walking to Miranii's side, she gave the mother her newborn son, then fell to her knees.

Miranii smiled, and kissed her son. "I knew there was something special about this child. His kicks were so strong, so full of energy. I have already thought of a name." She tilted her baby so he was facing Hama. "Say hello to Hama, Ganondorf."


	2. Early Days

Chapter 2 of Ganondorf's life story... Still some more story building, enjoy, and please review!

This website is unendingly retarted about symbols, and they delete everything I try to use. Asteriks have been the accepted symbols for scene shifts in professional literature for how long now? So why I can't use them here is anyone's guess. So, I apologize, because it looks stupid, but I have to use the horizontal rule to signify a scene change.

* * *

"Mommy, why am I different from everybody else?"

Miranii turned from her conversation with Hama, and looked down at her son. She had wondered when he would ask this question. It never ceased to amaze her how lingual, and how intelligent, her three-year old son was. He was years ahead of the other children his age. She smiled as she answered, "Because you are a boy, Ganondorf. There is only one boy born to the Gerudo every 100 years."

"Does that mean that I'm like Kiran?" he asked.

"I have told you, you must be respectful of our King. Address him as 'Kirandorf.'"

Ganondorf made a face at his mother. "But that's like my name! I'm Ganondorf!"

"That is because you will be the King one day," his mother explained.

"Then why don't we live in a castle? And where is Kiran... Kirandorf's castle?"

Miranii couldn't help but chuckle at his innocence. "Gerudo Kings do not lavish themselves with what normal Gerudo cannot afford. They live as we do, and are a working part of the tribe just as we are. The King of Thieves serves as a symbol of unity and leadership for us, not a rupee-hoarding tyrant."

Ganondorf did not understand what his mother meant by this, so he simply turned and ran out into the desert sun to play. Hama watched him go, then returned to the conversation she had been having with Miranii before he interrupted.

"Regardless of his young age, he must begin soon. Kirandorf is already over 100. He cannot have more than a decade left."

"He is only three. Give him another couple of years," Miranii said, almost pleadingly. "I do not want to lose him already."

"You will not be losing him. It is only for two years; you know that," the older woman reproached. "Remember, when he becomes king, however young he may be, we will all be under his command. Even you. If he has not had the proper education by then, it could spell ruin for our tribe."

"Still, I do not wish that upon him yet. He shall begin on the day of his fifth-birth. No sooner."

Hama raised an eyebrow. "You mean you do not wish that upon yourself."

* * *

Ganondorf was bored. This village was too small, he decided. Yet the bridge at one end of the village was always barred off, and the path deeper into the desert at the other end was blocked by an enormous iron gate. He didn't know why the grownups wouldn't let him explore outside the village. He was a big boy, and perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He was even stronger than the six-year old girls!

Walking up to the monstrous gate, he put his hands through the square openings and looked up. The iron barrier seemed to reach into the sky forever. Noticing the small boy on the ground, the sentry in the gate tower waved down at him. Ganondorf ignored her. Looking back down, he peered through the gate, watching the blowing sands that obscured vision even an arm's length in front of him. It looked like so much fun!

"ATCHOO!" The boy gave off a violent sneeze. Wiping his nose on his arm, he turned around and walked back into the village, grumbling to himself about how boring grownups are.

"I do believe you are right, sister. He will be quite a useful toy."

Two women perched atop the pedestals of the iron gate. They were short and squat, their heads nearly as large as the rest of their bodies. Their noses took up almost half of the space on their already-large heads. Huge, beady eyes stared out from under hair that resembled a multitude of bending icicles on one woman, and a blazing inferno on the other. Each held a bent broomstick in hand. They were completely invisible from normal eyes, though they could see each other just fine.

"That thrice-damned bird watches him as well, you know," said the fiery-haired one.

"Of course I know! I can see just as well as you sister, if not better," came the retort from the other hag.

"Then why haven't you done anything about him?"

"I could ask the same of you! That bird flies faster than a deku runs from fire! I will catch him one day though. He will run out of tricks eventually. And when he does, we will eat well that night!"

Cackling, the witches leapt onto their brooms and flew into the sandstorm. "Don't worry, young Ganondorf," the blue witch whispered to herself. "We shall return to play in time!"


	3. The Haunted Wasteland

Here comes chapter three, and things really start to get fun :) Please review, it would make my day!

This site is stupid about symbols, deleting everything imaginable, so horizontal rules are being used for scene changes. I know it looks horrid, and trust me, I wouldn't use them if I didn't have to.

* * *

The three year old boy with blood-red hair and eyes to match leaned on the massive iron gate at the edge of his village. This is where Ganondorf spent much of his time, wishing the adults would let him out of this boring little village. Mommy kept telling him that he would be the King, but they still didn't let him do anything fun. He couldn't play in the Training Grounds, he couldn't play in the Fortress, he couldn't ride the horses, he couldn't shoot arrows; but most grating was that he couldn't leave the village. So there he leaned, every day, staring out of the iron gate into the Haunted Wasteland.

"Here for your daily staring, Ganondorf?" called the woman from the gate tower. Her name was Karil, and Ganondorf had gotten to know her, and all of the other gate guards, quite well. She had bright orange hair like all other Gerudos (other than the old women with white hair) and carried her twin scimitars with an earned confidence.

"Are you gonna let me out to play yet, Karil?" he replied, looking up at her.

"You ask me that every day, and every day I give you the same answer. You know how much trouble we would both get in if I let you into the Wasteland."

"You grownups are all the same!" Ganondorf said grumpily, and turned back to stare wistfully into the desert. As he watched, he thought he saw a small yellow light flash in the blowing sands, but it was gone immediately. He decided that it was nothing. Then, a small noise emanated from right on the other side of the gate. No... it was coming from in his head. _Kekekekeke... would you like to play with us Ganondorf?_ The light reappeared in the sands, bouncing up and down in encouragement. Ganondorf nodded vigorously.

From her perch, Karil looked down at the boy, wondering what he was nodding about. She opened her mouth to ask him, but nearly choked on her words as he suddenly fell right _through_ the iron bars, disappearing into the blinding sandstorm. Panicked, she reached up to ring the alarm bell, but was halted when an impossibly sharp icy gust sliced cleanly through her wrist. With a pained grimace, she watched her hand fall to the floor of the tower, and saw that the blood had frozen on the end of her arm, not a drop falling from either it or the severed hand. She began to scream, when an intense heat flared up behind her, and a burning hand clamped down on her throat, boiling her skin and vocal cords.

"Now, now... you don't want to ruin our little game," the owner of the hand spoke into her ear, sounding extremely amused. An instant later there was a fiery flash, and Karil was gone; body, bone, severed hand and all, leaving not a trace that she had ever existed.

* * *

Ganondorf stood up, and spit the sand out of his mouth. Falling through the gate had certainly startled him, but the child forgot any fear the second he realized what had happened. He was through the gate! He could have as much fun as he wanted, and there were no grownups to scold him! He looked ahead and saw the yellow light, still bobbing up and down, inviting him forward. As he neared the light, it became a lantern, and eventually he could see the creature holding it. It was a strange, floating black blob with white eyes and a tattered-looking purple smock. As he stared at the ghost, it chanted merrily into his head:

_From that look, young child  
Wouldn't you know__  
I do believe that this is__  
Your first time seeing a Poe._

_Phantom Guide is the name  
After death I did take_  
_And it is not very often__  
A new friend I can make._

_If you'll do me the honor  
There is much fun I can show_  
_Just step up on this box__  
And away we shall go!_

Looking behind the poe, Ganondorf saw that there was indeed a box, sitting before a vast pit of sand that seemed to be flowing like a river. With a cry of glee, Ganondorf leapt onto the box, and held tight as Phantom Guide let out a mighty breath, propelling the box across the river of sand. When it reached solid ground again, it was halted suddenly, and Ganondorf was propelled once again face-first into the sand. When he stood, he found himself next to a tall wooden post with a white flag tied at the top. The sandstorm seemed even more violent here than at the gate. The poe was gone.

"Mister Phantom?" he called. "Where did you go?"

Its answer echoed in his skull:

_I'm sorry to go  
But I don't want to stay__  
New friends shall come__  
They are enemies today._

Shrugging, Ganondorf ran deeper into the Haunted Wasteland, happy to have his freedom. Before long, though, he grew bored. There was nothing here but endless sand... sand on the ground, sand in the air. He couldn't understand why this place was so boring; something off limits was usually the best kind of fun. He changed his mind about wanting to be in the desert, and turned back the way he had come. After walking for what seemed like ages to the boy, he began to worry. Where was that flag? He was sure he was walking in the right direction, though he could barely see further than his arms could reach. Out of nowhere, there came a yell, like some warrior's battle cry.

"Hyaaahhhh!"

Turning toward the noise, Ganondorf glimpsed a flash of green and silver, hurtling toward him. He cowered to the ground, closing his eyes and clutching the back of his head, but never felt anything. Opening his eyes, he saw he was alone, and looked around confusedly. Then, to his left, for the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a hulking black beast, as tall and wide as his hut in the village. But as the sand blew over it, it was gone, leaving with a deafening roar.

Next came a loud whistling from the right, causing Ganondorf to frantically turn his head again, to see a bright yellow streak, which he was sure was an arrow, soar overhead. With a loud "Kachink!" a gleaming sword, as large as the three year old, fell from the sky and stuck into the ground before him. It had a blue hilt with a yellow eye carved into it, and seemed to pierce his very soul. He jumped back in fear, only to have an identical sword fall to the ground behind him. Backing away, he looked up in panic, and cried aloud as more and more of the swords fell out of the sandstorm in every direction. Every way he ran, another sword struck the earth, blocking his path, until he was caged to a tiny spot, unable to move. Hundreds of the swords surrounded him, each bearing down on him with that scornful eye. He closed his eyes, but still he could see them, their vision slicing through his mind and body from every angle. He squeezed his head between his hands, tears streaming from his eyes, and looked to the sky with a scream.

"MOMMY!"

A final sword broke through the particles above, heading straight for the boy. He clenched his eyes shut and tensed for his death, screaming again. As the tip of the blade connected with his forehead, it disappeared immediately, yet his mind was ripped apart. It seemed as if every sound that had ever been made was at once set loose in his ears, a cacophony of drowning turmoil. With one final pleading scream for his mother, though he could not hear it above the tumult in his head, Ganondorf collapsed into the sand.


	4. Scouring the Wastes

To mix things up a little, from this point forward you can enjoy shifting points of view, a' la Wheel of Time. The main PoV will always be Ganondorf, of course, but this will give you the opportunity to see the story from the eyes of many other characters as well. Enjoy chapter 4, and please review!

Note: Sorry about using horizontal rules for scene shifts. It's all this blasted site lets me use.

* * *

Miranii was restless. Why did the others simply talk and wait? They had to take action, and find her son!

"There is no sign of Karil. The entire village has been searched," reported a young Gerudo. "On the floor of the gate tower, the letter 'H' and an incomplete 'W' were scrawled into the wood. It was probably done with her scimitar. We can only assume that she and Ganondorf have been taken into the Haunted Wasteland."

"Fine," said Miranii, shortly. "Then why are we still sitting here?"

The girl looked taken aback, surprised at the usually kind Miranii's heated response. She stammered to reply, but Hama saved her the trouble.

"You know better than any of us the dangers of the desert," she said, in a firm but sympathetic tone. "I know you have not forgotten-"

"That isn't important!" Miranii became even more agitated by Hama's drawing up of old memories. "That is my son out there, and your future King! If he was in the Thirty Towers of Mudora I would be cutting through the Old Guardians to find him, and I am certainly not going to let some pissed-off sand stop me!"

Hama's voice was as calm as ever, yet somehow her demure tone seemed to carry even more force than Miranii's frantic screaming. "I do not propose to let anything stop us. I am only suggesting that we be sure that this is an organized search. The desert swallows the unwary."

Finally, Miranii calmed herself. "You are right, as always. Let us organize two groups, and we shall meet at the gate."

* * *

When the two search parties stood at the huge iron barrier, Miranii was heartened by the concern the Gerudo showed for her son. Each party was composed of eighteen women. Excluding the young and elderly, and Kirandorf himself, who was away from the village, this group represented the entire tribe. Hama raised her voice to address everyone in attendance.

"You have all been warned since childhood of the dangers of the Haunted Wasteland, but few of you have faced them firsthand. Today marks the largest Gerudo exodus into the desert since our ancestors originally colonized this valley in ages past. When we enter, there will be a flowing river of sand. Do not enter it! Jami and Talrin will lay their planks, and we will cross with those." With this, she nodded to the two women in the back of the audience, each carrying an extremely long wooden board.

"When you cross the river, you will notice a white flag. These were put up when the Gerudo originally crossed the Wastes to mark the correct path. Wander from this path, and it is likely you will never see your home again. Our groups will search as follows. My group will follow the flags until we reach a small stone structure – the shrine to the desert spirits. We will search there. In Miranii's group, each woman holds a length of rope." The ropes the women carried were tightly coiled, but unwrapped would extend to a long distance. "You will split up into twos, and each pair will be responsible for one flag. One woman will tie an end of the rope to the wooden post, and the other end to herself. She will then search the circumference of that flag post, as far as her rope will allow her, while the other woman remains at the post to ensure that end of the rope does not come loose. After you have searched, follow your rope back to the flag, and remain there until either Miranii or I, or another group, meets up with you. Is everybody clear?"

There was a resounding "Yes," and Hama gave the signal for the gate to be opened. Miranii inspected the sand that the bottom of the iron bars were once buried in, and looked to Hama. "This is the first disturbance in this sand for months. The gate has not been opened recently."

Hama raised an eyebrow. "Strange... yet I do not doubt Karil's message. Ganondorf did get into the desert somehow."

Hama and Miranii each raised a hand simultaneously, and gave the order to move out. Both groups set off into the desert, with the Gerudo that were too old or young to join remaining at the entrance to await their return.

* * *

They had been searching for over an hour with no sign of Ganondorf or Karil. Of course, the harsh winds obscured footprints within minutes, so short of finding the missing Gerudo themselves, there was little chance of clues. Miranii and her partner, Alara, were searching the final flag post before the shrine. After circling for the fifth time, Miranii followed the rope back to the flag, and cursed in frustration. Alara attempted to comfort her.

"There are eight other groups searching the flags, as well as Hama's group at the shrine. I'm sure one of them must have found him."

Miranii sighed. "Thank you for trying, Alara, but we don't even know how massive this desert is. Searching by the flags only covers the tiniest fraction."

"Yes, but looking elsewhere would only result in more people getting lost."

Miranii did not reply.

Minutes later, Hama's group arrived at the flag. Hama was looking grim.

"You have not found him?" Miranii asked her, already knowing the answer.

"No." Something else was obviously troubling Hama. Looking at her group, Miranii thought it seemed smaller.

"You haven't seen Yuma or Pelaa pass this way, have you?" Hama asked.

Both Miranii and Alara shook their heads.

"Dammit," Hama cursed. "I spread my party too thin while searching. I waited for them, but they did not return to the shrine. There is already more missing, and we can search no further. We must head back, Miranii."

"There is something more than angry sands at work here," said Miranii. "I'm going to search the Desert Colossus."

"That's suicide, Miranii," warned Hama. "There are no markers to lead you there. You'll simply be lost in the desert like the others."

"Kirandorf goes there all the time," stated Miranii. "That proves that it is possible."

"The path to the Desert Colossus is a secret given only to the King of Thieves. He knows the path. You do not."

"Regardless, I must try. I will not give up on my son!"

With that, Miranii pushed past Hama and ran into the obscuring sands. The Gerudo looked at Hama, wondering if they should give chase. Hama cursed again, and shook her head. "That is five people missing now. I will not afford another. We return to the village."


	5. Forced Betrayal

Here's chapter 5 everybody! Sorry about the cliffie from chapter 3, but that's what keeps the suspense, you know? (Read: There'll be more, cuz I like 'em!) Thank you so much for sticking with me this far, and please keep it up, because there's a lot farther to go! I love the reviews, keep 'em coming!

* * *

_Pain..._

_Noise..._

_Laughter..._

Slowly, wincing at the constant pain in his head, Ganondorf brought his eyelids apart. He turned his head, ever so gradually, to take in his surroundings. He was in a dark chamber. It seemed to stretch very far either way, though darkness prevented him from seeing just how far. Behind him stood a dilapidated stone statue, so tall that it stretched toward the unseen ceiling above. It depicted a beautiful and slender goddess, a great snake coiled around her body. Looking off to his left, a movement caught his eye, and he gave off a cry. Two women from his village, Yuma and Pelaa he thought, swung by ropes tied around their necks. They had both been scalped. Blood was caked around their faces as it had run down from the exposed skull.

"We needed their hair for a new potion," an old woman's voice echoed from seemingly everywhere in the endless chamber.

"I think we may have cut a little too close. What do you think sister?" another, nearly identical voice intoned.

"They stopped protesting eventually, so I guess they don't mind!"

Both voices cackled uproariously. "Kekekekekekeke!"

"But don't worry, Ganondorf. We won't kill you. We have some very special fun planned for you."

The shadows in front of him seemed to crawl backwards, and a figure became visible as the darkness receded behind it. Miranii stood on the ground, both hands bound above her, although Ganondorf could not see any ropes. Her head hung on her chest, and Ganondorf feared the worst.

"Mommy!" he cried, and threw himself toward her. His body jolted, but did not move forward. The same invisible bindings seemed to hold him in place. To either side of his mother, the owners of the voices hovered into view on broomsticks. Ganondorf's mind realized immediately that these witches, one with hair of ice, the other with hair of fire, were those of the fairy tales his mother would tell him in bed.

"Twinrova..."

The blue-haired witch cackled again. "Kekeke. It would appear our reputation precedes us, sister."

"It is not surprising, Koume," replied the fire witch. "We are, of course, the most powerful and beautiful witches in all of Hyrule."

"Right you are, Kotake. How the other witches must envy us. Like that potion-making wannabe in Kakariko village."

"She's a good friend of mine, Koume! We've known each other for 300 years. Hold your tongue!"

"Of course, the ugly ones always make the best of friends. I'm not like you, Kotake."

"I don't believe you would say that to your own sister! We both know I am the younger and more beautiful!"

"We're twins you fool! Neither is younger!"

Ganondorf watched with a mixture of fear, revulsion, and bewilderment as the witches seemed to have forgotten about him entirely. He tried again to struggle against his invisible bonds, which he immediately realized was a mistake, as it brought both the witches' attention back to him.

"We are forgetting our little friend, sister. There are much more important things to worry about than which of us is the prettiest," Koume stated.

Ganondorf gathered up an immense amount of courage for one so young. "W... What are you going to do to me?"

Kotake gave him a cold smile. "Our motives are far too complicated for a three year old, no matter how intelligent."

Both witches raised their hands, and Ganondorf's left foot took a step forward. Then his right. Then his left again. No matter how he resisted, his feet kept moving. As he neared his mother, his left hand began to rise. He was holding a dagger that had not been there before. Its cruel blade was wavy, curling back and forth to a sharp point. It seemed to be cut from some type of black crystal, and gave off a sinister glow. The hilt boiled in his hand, yet despite his best efforts, he could not unclench his fist from around the handle.

"Did you ever notice how every Gerudo male, as rare as the little leevers are, is left handed?" the blue witch asked her sister casually, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened all day.

"I did, actually. Such a strange little trait. Of course, everything about the Gerudo males is strange."

"Augh!" Ganondorf gave a cry as his hand carried the dagger above his head. At the sound of her son's pain, Miranii stirred. Opening her eyes, she raised her head from her chest to look from her son, to the witches, and back to her son. Tears welled in her eyes, but she understood instantly. She would not be weak.

"I love you, Ganondorf."

"_No Mommy! Don't say that!_"

Ganondorf's hand moved slowly down toward his mother, shaking violently as he resisted with every ounce of his being. Tears streamed from his eyes, and he screamed and shouted and cried, begging the Goddesses to make it stop.

"Be strong, my son. I'll always be with you, and I'll always love you. This is not your fault." Miranii forced a small smile onto her face, and beyond the tears in her eyes, she seemed so calm and secure.

"_Stop Mommy! Stop stop stop! You can't! I can't! Stop_!"

"Playtime's over," Kotake said with glee, and both witches thrust their arms downward. Ganondorf's arm mimicked the motion, and thrust the dagger through his mother's breast, into her heart. His entire arm then twisted, turning the blade full circle inside his mother's body.

"...love...you..." she sputtered, and her head sank. Blood seeped down the dagger and coated Ganondorf's arm.

"_No! Mommy! Mommy! Aauggghhh!_" Ganondorf's cries degenerated into a guttural, indecipherable amalgamation of sobs, curses, and screams. The bonds on both of their bodies released, and Ganondorf fell to his back with his mother's body on top of him. The blood continued to run from her wound, creating a warm puddle over and around him.

"Kekeke. The first act is complete," cackled Kotake, as both witches drifted toward the pair on the floor.

"_What is going on here?_" a deep voice filled the room, causing both witches to twist around. A bright light formed at the source of the voice, and tore toward the hags like lightning. They careened out of the way with their brooms, and with a hiss, simultaneously shot blasts of heat and cold toward the intruder. The figure ran forward, twisting between the twin blasts like a dancer, and seized both broom handles. Spinning once more, he brought both together, the witches mashing together with a sickly sound of cracking bones. They shot again, forcing their assailant to release the broomsticks and fall backward to avoid the energy. They flew away at top speed, heading towards the exit of the chamber.

"Damn you Kirandorf!" they shrieked in unison. "This is not over!"

With a grunt, the man turned and stood over Ganondorf's prone form. He was a monster of a man, muscles bulging from every part of his body. His short hair was snow white, and he wore a close-cropped beard of the same color, contrasting his olive skin. He was draped in a black traveler's cloak with a white cape. Looking at the young boy weeping under his dead mother, he frowned.

"I am sorry that you had to endure this, Ganondorf. As King, it is my duty to protect all of my people, and I have failed miserably. I have traveled all of Hyrule, and yet forgotten of my duties to the Gerudo. I will raise you myself; it is too little, but it is all I can do for you now. You will become a strong King; stronger than I, and revenge on those accursed Witches of Twinrova will be yours. This I promise."

Ganondorf heard not a word of this. Only two things penetrated the agonizing throb in his head: his own sobbing, and the steady dripping of his mother's blood onto the stone floor.


	6. Another Destiny

Sorry about the long wait! College really gets busy before spring break, and then I was in Florida for a bit. Better late than never, though, and I'll get chapter 7 out soon to make up for this one being so late. Please R&R!

* * *

Night was falling on Kakariko Village. Glancing out his shop window, Hammil saw the faint orange glow left in the wake of the sun, already fallen beyond the west gate. He sighed and finished putting the last of his wares away for the night. He was late. What would his wife think?

As he walked toward the door, ready to head home, he heard a crash from the back room; the kind that usually tended to mean his "you break it, you buy it" rule was about to come into effect. There were, of course, no customers in his shop this late, so he hefted the large walking stick he always carried with him. He was a stout man, despite his rather short stature, and felt quite sure of his ability to stave off whichever foolish child from the village thought it a rush to break into his shop. As he rounded the wall that partitioned his shop, he ran face-first into the two largest, roundest breasts he would ever have the luck of coming into contact with. The first thought to go through his head was that these breasts could break into his shop as often as they chose, followed immediately by "what would my wife think?"

He was shoved backward, away from his new favorite pillows, and looked upon their owner. The breasts were covered by a purple top that wrapped around the back underneath the arms, and extended downward to form a one-piece with loose-fitting pants of the same color. Orange-red hair was pulled back from a dark-skinned face, covered to the eyes with a veil, and now twisted with a look of revulsion.

"Gerudo," Hammil muttered, shaking out of his momentary stupor. The blasted desert thieves had broken into his shop several times before in the fifteen years he owned it, but this was the first time he had seen one himself. He hefted his stick with a feeling of satisfaction. He would finally have his revenge. And when he beat her (she was, after all, just a woman), she would be at his mercy. And he could — He shook his head, banishing the thought. What would his wife think?

He rushed forward, swinging the wooden staff in a horizontal arc toward the Gerudo's midsection. He attacked with all his force, but she simply brought her arm up in a quick motion, deflecting his weapon upward off of a large bronze bracelet, and sending him off balance. She took one step forward, pulling her twin scimitars from her sash, and swung the left one toward his stick, slicing it in half. Using the momentum from this strike, she pirouetted on her left toe, and brought both scimitars in an upward curve, slicing each half of Hammil's weapon into half again. Still in one motion, the woman brought her swords together at Hammil's waist, each blade pointing outward, and threw her arms apart. This caused him no harm, other than to drop his trousers to the floor. Finally, twisting her arms around in a motion that should have dislocated the shoulders of any normal person, she let both scimitars fly, pinning Hammil to the wall by the top of his shirt. He found himself dazed, sitting, and unable to grasp what exactly had just happened.

He stopped trying to figure it out when the Gerudo woman stepped forward and gracefully dropped her clothes to the floor. It was now that he noticed that he too was pants-less. The realization of what was about to happen instantly dawned on him. He would not let this woman have her way with him! This absolutely beautiful, mysterious woman. With such a gorgeous body. And those breasts. . . As the Gerudo lowered herself onto him, he knew at this point exactly what his wife would think.

* * *

Talrin's horse galloped through Termina Field, heading back toward the Gerudo village. Along with her, it carried bags of food, seeds, and whatever other objects she had thought would be useful for herself or her fellow tribeswomen. She thought nothing of her rape of the shopkeeper, though she prayed to the Goddesses it would bring her a child. With only one male born every 100 years, the Gerudo were forced to reproduce in this manner, and did not view it as morally wrong. Also, since raids were infrequent, this kept the tribe small, with only a few births each year. Talrin had been with child three years ago, but the Goddesses had taken the baby in the womb. Every raid she hoped for another, but had yet to get her wish.

The Gerudo themselves are a genetic anomaly. Forced to breed with males from other races, their genes literally assimilate those of the father, shutting down any expressions of the father's race. This results in every Gerudo child, whether their father be Hylian, Zoran, or even Goron (though the Gerudo prefer to avoid using the latter two), being a full-blooded Gerudo, and nearly always a female. The Gerudo themselves, of course, do not understand this, and simply attribute it to the whim of the Goddesses (which it is, just executed in such a complex manner).

Talrin was thinking of none of this as she finally reached Gerudo Valley. A great chasm loomed ahead, a river flowing toward Lake Hylia at the bottom. She urged her horse forward. It took the chasm in an impossibly long leap, and then continued into the village. Behind her, two women raised a wooden barrier to prevent outsiders from entering the Valley.

* * *

One month later, Hama gave Talrin the news she had been waiting three years to hear.

"You are with child," she said, with a small smile of encouragement. "The first child of this year. A good omen; she will be strong and healthy."

Talrin was overjoyed. "The Goddesses have blessed me. This is not a new child. They have deigned to finally return my child to me. She shall carry the name that I always meant for her—once three years ago, and now again. She shall be named Nabooru."

"It is a fitting name," agreed Hama.


	7. Training Day

Chapter seven is here! I know I said I would have it out soon. Er... sorry. College is a bitch and a half, with a little shit thrown in for good measure. Regardless, here's chapter 7, and I'll try to have chapter 8 out this weekend. But i've learned not to promise.

* * *

Parry. Parry. Duck. Feint high. Low swing. Parry high. Middle thrust.

Ganondorf's sword swam through the motions, an extension of himself. The sword was part of him—it breathed through him. To an untrained eye, his movements would have appeared relaxed, almost lazy, but his opponent knew that every attack was focused and precise. Kirandorf had trained Ganondorf for fourteen years—becoming the father that most Gerudo children never had, to replace the mother that Ganondorf could never have again. That a boy of only seventeen could possess as much finesse with a blade as his pupil did was unbelievable. He was nearly a match to Kirandorf, and Kirandorf had over a century of mastery behind him.

Sweat poured from Kirandorf's body, the moisture threatening his grip on his sword. His chest heaved with every exertive breath. Though he saw that Ganondorf was equally vexed, he knew the boy had more endurance than him. He was the strongest, and oldest, king the Gerudo had ever known, but 120 years of life took their toll on him, no matter how hard he tried to resist the weaknesses of age. He had to end this battle now.

Kirandorf leaned around a vertical chop, then fell to his back to avoid a horizontal return. As he fell, he reached his legs forward, attempting to entangle Ganondorf's legs. Ganondorf jumped backward from the old king's grasp, flipping in the air, and leapt forward the instant he touched down, sword extending toward Kirandorf's prone form. The elder thrust his sword at the boy's, twisting as his crossguard met the blade. Ganondorf's sword was propelled toward the ground, and he with it. Releasing his sword, he allowed his momentum to roll him in the air, then shoved his feet off of the ground, and struck the bottom of his sword hilt with an open palm. The sword broke past Kirandorf's crossguard, who bent his head backward barely in time to avoid being impaled through the face. The side of the blade grazed his forehead, and he knew he could raise the count of his almost innumerable battle scars. Ganondorf used his master's distraction to twist around, planting his foot firmly in the old man's gut. As Kirandorf reeled, Ganondorf grasped both blades and stepped backward, allowing the now-weaponless man to stand.

"This will be fun," he managed between breaths.

Kirandorf smiled in agreement.

Ganondorf resumed the battle, both swords swinging in a complex attack pattern. Kirandorf's arms were a blur, deflecting the blades with the gold alloy bracelets all Gerudo wore (though most Gerudos' were only bronze), designed specifically for that purpose. As Ganondorf's swords came in horizontally from both sides, Kirandorf swung his arms out to meet them, putting all of his strength behind the parry. As the bracelets met the blades, both were halted for the briefest of instants, then with a bulge of Kirandorf's massive muscles, Ganondorf's arms were thrown apart. Kirandorf used this opening to leap into the air, kicking Ganondorf in the face with enough force to propel the boy several feet backward, the swords falling to the ground halfway between the warriors.

Both fighters recovered quickly, running toward their weapons. They reached them at the same time, leaning to retrieve them, and each swung his sword simultaneously. Ganondorf's attack was a horizontal chop, aimed at where Kirandorf's midsection would have been had he stood. Kirandorf, however, remained on the ground and sent his sword at the back of Ganondorf's knees, connecting with the flat of his blade. Ganondorf fell backward hard, his head impacting with the stone floor, stunning him. As Kirandorf's blade arced over the old man's head, Ganondorf knew he had lost. He did not flinch as the blade cut toward his face, stopping as the tip lightly tapped the bridge of his nose, drawing a dot of red.

The sword sat motionless at Ganondorf's face, Kirandorf holding an unreadable expression. Ganondorf smiled.

"Another win for you, old man."

The sword withdrew, and Kirandorf returned the smile. "I have to enjoy wins while I can. I don't predict I shall experience them for much longer." He walked toward the wall where they had been tallying their fights for the last twelve years. Using his sword, Kirandorf scratched another notch in his column, bringing his wins to 4132, to match Ganondorf's 224. That this boy could win at all against Kirandorf's 110 years of experience never failed to amaze him.

Ganondorf looked at the wins Kirandorf held over him. "I don't think I'll ever be stronger than you."

Kirandorf shook his head. He remembered, so distantly, being seventeen. When it seemed like you knew all there was to know; that you had reached your physical and mental bounds. "I am 120 years old, Ganondorf. You are only seventeen, and you nearly match me in strength and skill." He paused to let this sink in. "I can only dream of the power you will one day possess."

Ganondorf was not as confident as the King, but the rare compliment caused him to swell with pride. It was then that they felt the presence of another. After years of residing in the Desert Colossus, the giant temple hidden in the Haunted Wasteland, they were so attuned to the structure as to sense anyone present.

"Nabooru is here," Kirandorf said. "Let us greet her."

Ganondorf nodded, and both headed in the direction of the temple entrance.


	8. The Channel of Winds

Wot, wot? Another chapter only two days later? (By now, it's 4. I wrote it 2 days ago, but the site was down and all). By Jove, he kept his promise! Seriously, though, I really like this chapter. Probably my favorite so far. I'm a sucker like that. Plus I've got a ton more ideas boggling around in my head (I was hit with a veritable mushroom cloud of inspiration today), so you can expect lots more real soon (I hope)!

Thank you all sooooo incredibly much for the reviews! Plus I've noticed I've made quite a few favorite stories and/or authors lists! And on my first fanfic, no less! I feel so loved I could cry! Keep reviewing, you all are why I'm writing this!

Ooh yeah, one more thing. I'm putting up a map of Hyrule at my deviantart site, sakabatou314. Every time I write a new chapter I'm gonna edit in new things if there are any, such as paths, places, etc., and I'll keep it up at the top of the page. So, it's there if you want it.

* * *

Nabooru waited patiently at the entrance to the Desert Colossus, knowing that Kirandorf and Ganondorf would be aware of her presence. She had never been passed the first small room inside the temple—Kirandorf disallowed any further trespass. He had, however, entrusted her with the secret path through the Haunted Wasteland to reach the hidden temple, a secret passed only through the line of Kings for centuries, and made her his personal envoy to the Gerudo Village. He and Ganondorf left the Colossus for the village only a handful of times a year, using Nabooru as their main line of communication to Hama, who ran the day to day affairs of the Gerudo community. This was more than enough responsibility to counter the fourteen-year-old's natural curiosity to explore the temple.

The large iron door that led into the deeper labyrinths of the temple suddenly rose upward with a _clang_! As the two men came through the doorway, it fell closed again behind them. The door was completely plain, with no hinges, handle, switch, or any apparent way of opening it. This, along with two crawlspaces she had been told led to dead ends, were the only methods of entry into the Colossus, barring a couple of openings on the outside, a staggering distance up a vertical climb.

Both men gave her a curt nod in greeting. Each was sweating profusely, soaking their cloaks (torn, patched, and torn again countless times through years of training) as to appear as if they had come from the oasis. Their solid bodies never failed to impress—they seemed to be sculpted from pure muscle. She nodded in return, looking from Kirandorf to Ganondorf, holding her gaze on Ganondorf for noticeably longer. To say that Gerudo males were rare would be like saying the desert was rather large—an incomparably enormous understatement. And here was one practically her own age! Not to mention stunningly handsome. She had decided some time ago that this one would be hers. Since he visited the village so infrequently, she knew that she had no competition to speak of.

Ganondorf, for his part, never failed to notice the extra attention Nabooru gave him. He simply staunchly refused to acknowledge it. He was not an extremely sociable person by any stretch of the imagination, living in near-solitude with Kirandorf for most of his life, and his training under the King was the only real thing of import in his mind. That was not to say he didn't notice her beauty in return. Her hair was an even more fiery orange than most Gerudo, and her body was developing splendidly. That the typical Gerudo clothing was revealing to say the least, desert weather not requiring much cover except on the occasional chilly night, certainly helped him to observe her assets. The bottom line, however, was that he simply had no time for girls.

Kirandorf was the first to speak. "It is good to see you again, Nabooru. I trust you and the others have been well."

"Very well," she agreed. "Crop yield has been better than usual, raids have been very profitable, and both Alara and Raimi's births were successful."

Kirandorf was pleased to hear this, as births were uncommon occurrences in Gerudo Valley.

"There was also a very heartwarming commemoration last week for my mother," Nabooru continued, "in honor of the anniversary of her death." Although Gerudo were almost never killed on raids, due to their stealth skills and battle aptitude, the current King of Hyrule had been bolstering Hyrule's army in recent years. Talrin had been cornered by a phalanx of Hylian knights and her tattered body had been left at the entrance to the Valley as warning, the tail of her horse tied to her hair and hung over her face as an insult.

Ganondorf gave Nabooru a small, respectful smile. "I wish I had known about this. I was quite fond of Talrin, and would have liked to attend."

Nabooru was buoyed by Ganondorf's concern. Truthfully, Nabooru was buoyed any time Ganondorf talked to her. "It's quite alright, Ganondorf," she said, practically beaming at him. "It was a surprise to me as well, and I knew that you would have been there were you able."

"Well," started Kirandorf, "I am very glad to hear all of this. I have, however, summoned you here for a reason. I have a message that I wish you to relay to Hama, so that she may announce it to the village. Tomorrow morning Ganondorf and I will leave the Valley. It is past due that Ganondorf see Hyrule beyond this desert."

Both Ganondorf and Nabooru reacted with surprise to this. Kirandorf hid a smile—he had been looking forward to their reactions.

The younger Gerudos spoke simultaneously, neither attempting to hide their shock.

"We're leaving?" Ganondorf exclaimed, in synch with Nabooru's shocked, "You're leaving?"

Kirandorf nodded. "We will stop in the village for supplies just after dawn. We may be gone for quite some time, but I more than trust Hama to run the village in my stead."

"Well, then, is Ganondorf done training for this evening?" Nabooru looked to the sky. The sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon. She had another reason for being here, and there wasn't much time left. "I mean to say that I wanted to... I mean... uh..."

"Of course," Kirandorf chuckled. "I'll leave you two to yourselves." With that, he turned, and the iron door slid open, without any apparent urging from the King. He walked back into the temple, and the door slid shut, leaving the young Gerudos standing alone in the entrance.

"What was it that you wanted me for?" Ganondorf asked, slightly nervous to be alone with the girl.

"You'll have to find out," she giggled, and skipped off into the desert with a childlike giddiness. Ganondorf shook his head and jogged after her.

The area immediately surrounding the Desert Colossus is free from the sandstorms that ravish the rest of the Haunted Wasteland, as if some force from the temple holds the raging winds at bay. After several minutes of running through this clearing, they reached the oasis at the southern edge. It was a small pond with a few palms, next to a raised sand dune that afforded a good view of the clearing all around. Nabooru climbed this dune and sat facing the setting sun in the west, motioning for Ganondorf to sit next to her. For a while they simply sat in silence, but eventually Nabooru began to hum, which then turned into a soft song.

_Between the Sands that scar the Earth  
And raging Waters cutting deep Veins__  
Live the People born of Din's Fire__  
Tougher than Stone and mightier than Flame.___

In the searing Valley where the Weak do die  
The Gerudo master the Sun and the Soil_  
One with the Desert, one with the Sand__  
The Master is Subject and always is loyal._

_ Should a Man trespass, he then becomes  
Counted a Fool for all the Ages to be  
__The soft Outsider is sure to be ground_  
_Will of the Gerudo is stronger than he._

_ The Desert remains forever to be  
The Gift Din gives to her People__  
A Beauty surpassed by no other Terrain__  
Our Golden Land, free of all Evil._

As her song ended, Nabooru realized that Ganondorf was staring at her wide-eyed. "Was it really that bad?" she cried, turning a deep shade of red.

"No!" he said quickly. "It was incredible. I have never heard a voice half as beautiful."

At this her blush turned an even deeper shade of red. She then pointed excitedly toward the sun. "Look, it's starting!"

Ganondorf followed her finger and saw that the sun had reached the top of the swirling sandstorms in the West. Then, to his utter amazement, as it slowly moved downward, the sandstorm split, following a perfect line to the yellow-red orb. The farther downward the sun traveled, the closer the split got to the ground, until the sun rested on the horizon with a perfect wall of raging sand on either side. The opening stretched so long that Ganondorf could not even see what it led to.

"Isn't it wonderful?" breathed Nabooru.

Ganondorf could only nod his head, dumbfounded. His eyes could not be turned from the spectacle before him.

"I was out here at sunset months ago and was lucky enough to glimpse it," Nabooru informed him. "I researched the oldest scrolls I could find in the village, and found a mention of it in some ancient Gerudo mythology. It is called the Channel of Winds, and only appears at sunset before a new moon. Since only the Kings know how to reach the Desert Colossus, excluding me, it hasn't been seen in centuries. That's how our ancestors got to Hyrule, Ganondorf."

They both watched in silent absorption as the sun crept beyond the horizon. The Channel of Winds mimicked its movement, filling in at the top and slowly closing downward, until the sun was only a reddish glow over the sandstorms and there was no indication that the Channel had ever existed.

"I should return to the village," Nabooru said minutes later, finally breaking the silence. Ganondorf stood, still unable to tear his eyes from the spot where he had just witnessed the most amazing event of his young life. Nabooru took his hand and they slowly walked, again in silence, to the northern end of the clearing, where she would follow the unmarked path back to the village. She turned to Ganondorf and grasped his other hand.

"I... will miss your visits while I am away," he mumbled awkwardly.

She smiled and stared into his eyes as she replied, "As will I."

They stood there for a moment longer, then he released her hands and she turned, walking into the sandstorms. As he watched her figure quickly fade into the sands, Ganondorf came to the realization that the Channel of Winds was only the second most amazing thing he had found this day.


	9. Departure

Chapter nine, chapter nine! Is everyone about ready to leave the desert then? I can tell you I'm running out of synonyms for the word "sand." All kinds of fun things can happen in the rest of Hyrule! And though it may not feel like it, this is still the very beginning of the story. Well, I would say that this chapter ends the "very beginning" part. So much more to come, I can't wait, and I hope you can't either! First, though, a couple random author's notes:

AN 1) Rodarian: Thank you for reading! Sorry if it wasn't entirely clear back at chapter five. Here's what went down: the room in front of Ganondorf was completely dark, so he couldn't see anything. Then the darkness receded (by way of witches' magic) and revealed his mother, bound and unconscious. It was meant to be inferred that the witches had nabbed her when she ran off into the desert at the end of ch. 4. Hope that helps.

AN 2) Sakume kicks ass. Plain and simple. She was my very first reviewer, and that last review of hers made me feel indescribably awesome. And, she's a wonderful writer. Seriously, if you haven't checked out her stuff before, I highly recommend it.

I don't have space to mention everybody, but every single one of you is my hero! Your reviews make me feel like I'm actually writing something worthwhile, so please, keep them coming! Finally, without further ado, chapter 9...

* * *

Kirandorf woke Ganondorf while the stars still shone bright; the moon slowly reaching toward the horizon, preparing to relinquish the sky to the sun. There was no complaint from Ganondorf—waking before dawn was not uncommon under Kirandorf's mentoring, and though outwardly he remained stoic, his excitement at his first journey beyond the desert was overpowering.

Each donned their traveling gear—heavy but breathable black garments with white capes—and strapped their broadswords across their backs so that the hilt protruded over the left shoulder from underneath the cape. They took nothing else; Nabooru would have provisions prepared for them at the Village.

Departing the Colossus, the two men quickly reached the sandstorm wall, and wrapped white scarves over their mouths and noses to help combat the furious sands. Though he knew the path to the Village by heart, Ganondorf remained near his companion. He berated himself for his cowardice, but he had never been able to escape the horrible visions he had experienced in the Wasteland as a child. Indeed, he was often revisited by them in his dreams, and every time remained paralyzed by terror. He was shaken from these thoughts by the true menace of the Haunted Wasteland; one both terrible and entirely unavoidable.

_My friends, my friends!  
So long it has been__  
Since you last came to visit;__  
Too long, I deem._

The Poe floated down in front of them, facing them and flying backward as the men walked forward. He shook his lantern jovially. Kirandorf scowled. "Can we not have one trip through the desert free from this blasted spirit?" he grunted lowly to Ganondorf.

_Though I am quite deceased  
I hear very well still.__  
But I shall forgive you__  
Surely you meant me no ill._

"Of course not, Phantom Guide," Kirandorf lied, returning his voice to its normal volume. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

_To my boredom, of course  
Curiosity too.__  
To where do you travel__  
And shall you be back soon?_

"Our destination is ultimately undecided. It is time for my student to observe the world outside of our desert. I think we shall visit the Zora first, and decide further from there."

_Very good, very good  
For your return I shall wait.__  
One somewhat early__  
One much too late._

This disturbed Kirandorf very much, though he was careful not to show it. He had learned long ago not to discount Phantom Guide's abstract prophecies. He considered asking the Poe what it meant, but knew he would receive no more intelligible an answer. They walked for sometime longer, doing their best to ignore the ghost's incessant rhyming, until they reached the River of Sand, and Phantom Guide bid them a relieving farewell.

As they neared the end of their solid path, both men removed their swords, still in their scabbards, from their backs. Though he knew it was unnecessary, Kirandorf pointed to the center of the flowing quicksand, to an area that looked entirely identical to the rest of the River. Ganondorf nodded. Taking several steps backward, he ran toward the River and leapt into the air. He cleared nearly a dozen feet, and as he fell to the area Kirandorf had indicated, he thrust his sheathed blade into the quicksand. It fit perfectly into the groove on a raised, concealed stone, only a foot long on each side, which had been erected in ages past for Kings' passage. Using the sword as a vaulting pole, he propelled himself the across the rest of the River, landing and, after wiping the liquid sand off, returned the weapon to his back. Seconds later, Kirandorf landed next to him and similarly replaced his weapon.

The warriors walked to the nearby iron gate—the only entrance to the Gerudo Village, sheltered under rocky cliffs. Using his golden bracelets against the iron, Kirandorf rang out a complex melody. Hearing this, the tower guard on the other side began turning the massive crank to raise the gate. Ganondorf and Kirandorf entered the Village just as the sun crept over the eastern horizon, happy to remove the heavy scarves from their faces. They waved to the woman in the tower and continued into the village. Nabooru was already running toward them from the Gerudo Fortress, the large stone building spanning the entire length of the Village that served as prison, school, training area, and gathering place for the desert dwellers. Hama came more slowly behind her. Ganondorf stared appreciatively at the young girl as she ran, until he realized this and forced himself to look elsewhere.

"I've got all our things ready!" she exclaimed when she reached them. Both men frowned at this and looked to three sacks of provisions she carried.

"You are not coming," said Kirandorf firmly.

Nabooru made her best attempt at a pouty face. It was not very successful. "And why not?" she asked.

"It's too dangerous," both men informed her in perfect unison.

The young girl would not be perturbed so easily. "I am a Gerudo warrior, not some Hyrulian powder girl! I have trained in survival and combat my entire life and I am the top fighter of all the girls, including most of the older ones. There is absolutely no reason for me not to go."

"Fine," Kirandorf stated simply. He took his bag from Nabooru, and hoisted it over his shoulder. He said a quick farewell to Hama, then started toward the Village entrance.

Ganondorf was bewildered by this seemingly random change of heart. "But... she..." he stammered.

"Don't argue, Ganondorf," came Kirandorf's stern reply.

Nabooru handed Ganondorf his bag and smiled a smile that could never be confused for innocent. "Aren't you happy to have me along?" Ganondorf could not look her in the eye.

Breaking the uncomfortable pause that followed, Hama walked to Ganondorf and embraced him warmly. Her hair had dulled almost entirely to grey over the years, and the sun had begun to reveal creases in her skin. "It has been too long since you visited, Ganondorf. You have grown into a stronger young man than any of us could have imagined. Your mother would have been proud to see you."

For the briefest instant, anger flashed across Ganondorf's face at the mention of his mother. He removed it instantly. "Thank you, Hama. I will see you when we return."

She nodded. "Be cautious, but enjoy yourself."

Ganondorf walked in the direction Kirandorf had gone, with a beaming Nabooru in tow. Kirandorf was waiting for them at the chasm at the edge of the Village. When they arrived, the old King motioned for the guard positioned there to drop the wooden barrier that closed off the entranceway. It was lowered so that it protruded over the gorge, rocking gently in the winds that blew from the white crashing waters hundreds of feet below, and left a fourteen foot span across the opening.

Kirandorf gave Ganondorf a quick smile, and the boy instantly knew why he had been so quick to allow Nabooru to come along. Both men rushed onto the horizontal barrier together, putting all their strength into a clean leap across the rift. They almost seemed to soar, their capes streaming behind them in what should have been an impossible jump. Both men landed on the other side, Ganondorf a foot or so farther than Kirandorf, though not nearly as gracefully, being forced to tuck himself into a short roll to halt his momentum.

Nabooru walked to the edge of the wooden platform and looked down the chasm, across to the two men, down again, and once more to the men. "I can _not _jump across that."

"This is unfortunate," called Kirandorf. "We shall see you upon our return then?"

Nabooru made another pouty face, failing just as spectacularly as before at the desired effect, then turned around. Kirandorf nodded to Ganondorf, and both men turned and began down the path. They didn't see Nabooru wink to the entrance guard.

When they heard a high-pitched voice scream _HYAAAHHHH!_ they knew what they would see even as they turned in astonishment. Nabooru had run at top speed down the platform, and now threw herself in a wild leap off of the edge, clenching her eyes as tightly as possible and throwing her arms out as she plummeted. She was halted abruptly in the air and her body smacked not gently against the canyon wall. She opened her eyes and smiled innocently at the furious faces of the two men that lay on the ground above her, each holding one of her arms.

"Are you _mad_?" Ganondorf asked, feeling it a very rhetorical question. "You could not have made that jump if you had wings!"

Nabooru was pulled up and dropped roughly to the ground. Sitting a second to stop her spinning head, she said, "Of course I could not make the jump! I just knew you would catch me."

Ganondorf had to lift his jaw off of the ground. "You _what?_" he exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Kirandorf glared at the guard across the rift. "Why did you not stop her?"

"I'm sorry, sir, she was just too fast for me." Kirandorf did not need to see the woman's smile to read the lie.

Nabooru stood and hoisted her pack. "Well, shall we go?"

Kirandorf frowned still. "I should throw you back across," he said, but then turned and began again down the path. Ganondorf shook his head and followed after him.

"Aw come on, Gannie," Nabooru said to his back. "We're going to have so much fun!"

Ganondorf turned his head. "If you ever call me that again," he began, pausing to make his point. "I'll cut you in half."

* * *

Koume and Kotake floated casually on top of the Desert Colossus. They had been there the entire time, of course—they simply stayed out of sight. They had been there for centuries before Kirandorf, their ancestors for ages innumerable before even the first Gerudo. Though they were happy to let the King of Thieves think that he owned the Colossus, such an idea couldn't be further from the truth.

"The time has almost come to make our move, my dear sister," the fire-haired Kotake declared.

"Yes, yes, I'm almost trembling with excitement," replied the icy hag. "We may not be able to handle both of them when they're together..."

"...but they'll be easy to separate while they're traveling," finished her sister.

The witches flew off in the direction that Kirandorf and Ganondorf had traveled, hatching plan after plan to separate the men, and cackling uproariously the entire time.


	10. Discovering Hyrule

Sorry for the wait everyone. Only a few more weeks of school till summer break, and then hopefully the updates will pick up in pace a little. Before we begin, I want to mention a few things. So, I present, the King of Thieves NRFAQTIFTNTAA (Not Really Frequently Asked Questions That I Feel The Need To Address Anyways):

Q: Is this a Ganondorf x Nabooru story?

A: Yes and no. Or, more appropriately, no and yes. I seem to have lost one reader's interest from chapter 8 to chapter 9, so I want to clarify this. I am writing this to be a fully fledged novel experience, ranging the entire spectrum of fantasy storytelling: drama, action, adventure, humor, suspense, and romance. There will be relationships between characters, and not just with Ganondorf. But they will not be the sole focus of this fanfic. This is not to say that people who write fanfics solely to explore their preferred crossings are inferior, it's just not my preferred style. My storyline will drive the romances, not the other way around.

Q: Why is it taking them so long to travel through Hyrule? Link does it in a few minutes!

A: In my opinion, the overworld in Ocarina of Time is, as in all video game overworlds, a representation of the true thing. My interpretation is that it actually takes just as long as traveling distances between places in real life, it's simply condensed so that the player isn't bored to death traveling such great distances. Think about it logically. If the world of Ocarina of Time were a true representation, the entire land of Hyrule, with five genetically distinct races, would be much less than a mile across in every direction. That just doesn't work. So, while I may upset people by having traveling in my story take the true amount of time that it should, I feel it's the most appropriate way to handle it.

Q: Can Gerudo swim?

A: Well... I would say... that is... the answer is obviously... uh... I don't know. Probably not. I am very glad this point was brought to my attention, because it will certainly need to be addressed at some point in my story. Thanks!

Q: What is a kunai?

A: A kunai is a small throwing knife.

Q: What do the Tek'talla look like, exactly?

A: This question won't make sense until after you read this chapter. They are a very hard thing to describe with words. I plan on making a picture of them at some point and uploading it on my deviantART page. You can find the link in my profile. I'm warning you now, though, I'm a horrid artist.

Q: How long is this fanfic going to be?

A: -shrugs- I dunno. Long. Really really long. Over 50 chapters without a doubt, and I won't discount the possibility of hitting 100. The end of this fanfic will be the end of Ocarina of Time. It will take quite a lot of time to even get to the beginning of that game though, as the meat of the story will be the events leading up to that. And even once my story hits the beginning of OoT, it will remain Ganondorf's story, I assure you, so it will in no way be a retelling of the game. It will be the unseen events that Ganondorf was up to during that time. So, I hope you're all willing to stick around for the long run. The one promise I can make is that barring a death in the family or something similarly life-altering (and really, I very much doubt a death, beyond mine, would make me stop writing), I will NOT abandon this story, and will NOT put it on hiatus. I know that if I put that much time into reading something and the author just quit, I would be pissed, so I won't do that to you either. I'm sure I'll write some short works in the (long) time it takes me to write this, but I'll never drop it, I promise.

Well, I just thought I should bring these points up. Map of Hyrule with my edits (I have marked the Channel of Winds and the party's path) is always at my dA page (see profile). And now, on to what you're here for, chapter 10!

* * *

The first few days of travel passed uneventfully. Day one was spent climbing out of the lowlands that formed the Gerudo Valley. The next two days were spent traveling Hyrule Field, the expansive and largely unforested area that separated the five races of Hyrule. The Hylian capital lay northward, along with the mountainous realm of the hulking Goron. The Lost Woods, Hyrule's largest forest, covered the south; the dwelling of the childlike Kokiri. Gerudo Valley, from where the travelers now departed, occupied Hyrule's barren western reaches. And their destination, Zora's Domain, home to a graceful amphibious people, lay far to the east.

Kirandorf anticipated an easy journey. They would first head south to reach the border of the forest, and then continue east from there. The covering of the trees would offer shelter from both unfavorable weather and the eyes of other travelers. Most people were not overly happy to meet Gerudo along the road, so Kirandorf preferred to avoid being seen altogether. In the late months of spring wild game was never scarce, and they set a steady but easy pace. By the end of the third day they reached the forest's edge. They set camp for the night and began eastward the next morning.

In the middle of the fourth day, the companions noted a dust cloud rising over a hill in the distance. Nabooru was the first to point it out, and Kirandorf motioned for them to enter the woods and stay out of sight. After several minutes, a convoy came into view at the top of the hill.

The convoy was made up of twelve fully armored soldiers, the two in front prominently displaying large blue flags with the symbol of the royal family, three golden triangles. Between the flagbearers, a smug looking nobleman led the group. His blonde hair reached his shoulders, falling on the frilled white collar of his red satin coat. This coat also displayed the golden triangles on the breast, as well as a number of other noble patterns declaring him as the King's ambassador. The sheath at his belt displayed an ornate golden hilt adorned with a large ruby. Kirandorf could see the corded muscles through the nobleman's shirt, and knew that this weapon was not simply for show. The Gerudo sat in silence as the party passed by, watched them top another hill, and waited for several minutes longer after they had left view. Kirandorf stepped out of the cover and judged the direction the procession had been traveling.

"This is most unusual," he said to himself.

"What do you mean?" asked Ganondorf.

Kirandorf looked at him as if just remembering he were there. "They are headed in the direction of the Kokiri Forest. The Kokiri have not had contact with the castle in as long as I can remember. They are a very reclusive people, and do not leave the forest or concern themselves with the affairs of the outside world. Why would the King be sending an ambassador with such an insultingly well-armed guard?"

None had an answer for this, but there was nothing for them to do about it. Putting the event to the back of their minds, the three travelers continued on their way to Zora's Domain.

* * *

"You are certain that is the path they will travel?"

Hama was getting irritated with this line of questioning, but she was careful not to show it.

"Of course I am certain," she replied, in her characteristically unemotional manner. "Kirandorf will not want to risk being seen. He does not enjoy killing."

"Very good. You will be rewarded for your service. My lord is always a man of his word."

"I do not doubt it," Hama said simply.

The figure that she held discussion with walked toward the opening in the stone wall that served as a window and stepped onto the sill. Without a word, it rolled out into the open air. Hama walked across the room and peered out of the second-story window of the Gerudo Fortress to see exactly what the expected to see. Absolutely nothing.

* * *

The figure crept silently through the treetops, watching Ganondorf carefully. It had taken three days to catch up with the travelers after leaving the Fortress, making it the seventh day of their march. They had reached the river that flows from Zora's Domain and were searching for a crossing point. Camp had been set for the night, and Ganondorf had gone alone to the river to collect water. The figure knew an opportunity when it saw one.

Ganondorf was completely aware he was being followed, but was certain not to show it. He bent down as if to fill the water skins he carried, maintaining an acute awareness of his stalker. The instant he sensed the attack he spun around, swinging his left arm in front of him. The four kunai that had been hurled in a horizontal line were all deflected off of his bracelet. He was given no time to recover as the figure leapt from the shadows to engage him.

She wore a form-fitting blue and white cloth outfit. On the chest was a design of deep red: a large eye with a drop falling from it. Three red triangles sat above the eye, though they were not connected like the golden triangles in the crest of the royal family. The top of the outfit extended above the neck to cover her face up to her nose. Her dirty-blonde hair managed to seem disheveled and well-kept at the same time.

As she emerged from the shadows, she was instantly upon him. With blinding speed she struck with two weapons Ganondorf had never seen before. They were circular, the outside circumference razor-edged, with a three-pronged handle in the middle. Three blades ran parallel to the circle. She attacked fiercely, and Ganondorf was hard-pressed to block such a lightning-fast attack with his single broadsword. He felt himself being backed closer and closer to the river.

He saw an opening as the girl swung high, and dropped himself to his knees to try and slice at her legs. She anticipated this, though, and leapt over his swing, planting both feet on his face and kicking off into a backflip. Ganondorf was knocked to the ground, his head impacting a stone. He felt moisture. While still in midair, the woman threw one of her strange weapons at Ganondorf's prone form. He barely managed to deflect it off of his bracelets as it spun toward his neck with deadly precision.

As she was left with one weapon, Ganondorf took the offensive. Leaping to his feet, he made two vertical chops, both of which she dodged effortlessly. Then, she extended her empty hand toward him only to sharply pull it back to her side. Bewildered, Ganondorf heard a whistle behind him and jerked to the right just as her thrown weapon streaked through the air he had occupied a fraction of a second earlier, returning to her hand.

"Who are you?" Ganondorf demanded in the lull in the fight. The mysterious girl gave no answer, and instead rejoined the battle. Ganondorf found himself again losing ground to a blinding series of strikes. Unused to battling a foe that meant truly to take his life, he became frustrated and unfocused. With a shout, he made a wild horizontal swing. Exactly what she had been waiting for. Her right-hand weapon met his sword, and Ganondorf's steel slid underneath the blade that extended from her unorthodox instrument. With a quick twist of her arm, the sword was wrenched from Ganondorf's hand, and she spun her weapon so that the sword it held became a blur of motion. Ganondorf tried his best to dodge as she attacked him with his own weapon. He stepped on the rock that he had fallen on minutes ago, still slick with blood from the impact. His boot slipped from underneath him, and he was put off balance. This was the only opening his assailant needed, and she sunk his broadsword deep into his right shoulder.

Ganondorf gave a cry of pain and rage as he felt his arm go limp. The girl tore the weapon from his shoulder and brought it in again for another strike. His face a mask of seething hatred, Ganondorf twisted around to catch the weapon in his already-useless right arm. It sliced through skin and muscle just above his elbow, stopping as it connected with bone. Ganondorf ignored its bite. With another cry, this one a guttural howl, and speed that the young woman could barely follow, Ganondorf planted his left fist with all his force into her face, satisfied at the sound of her nose breaking.

She was thrown backward several feet and landed hard on her back. She had lost her grip on both of her weapons, and they lay on the riverbed with Ganondorf's huge broadsword in a pool of red. Before she could even realize what was happening, he was atop her. His face was twisted into a horrifying visage, his fist held above his head with a slight purple glow around it, prepared to shatter her skull across the earth. As he brought his fist down for the final strike, all of her composure was lost, and a look of absolute terror swept across her face. The young warrior's own expression faltered slightly, and he turned his punch at the last minute, his fist burying itself deep in the ground and his bracelet making a deep gash across her forehead.

Only momentarily stunned, the girl kicked out from under Ganondorf and made a pulling motion with her hands, causing her weapons to fly back to her. "My Tek'talla _will_ taste your blood, as they rip your head from your shoulders. Fear the shadows!" She threw something Ganondorf couldn't see toward the ground, and was gone in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Koume and Kotake watched from high in the air. They were prepared to strike when they noticed Kirandorf and Nabooru running toward the injured Ganondorf. No matter; this new development complicated things. There was more planning to be done.

* * *

As darkness fell, Ganondorf sat with his companions around their campfire, his arm bandaged and splinted. He had been silent since the encounter and refused to elaborate on it beyond, "A girl attacked me. She got away." This particularly upset Nabooru, as he had been very closed off from her the entire journey.

"I will keep watch for tonight," Kirandorf was saying. "When we reach Zora's domain tomorrow, we shall be safe."

They cooked the day's catch, a wild boar, and after eating, Ganondorf and Nabooru laid their sheets around the fire to sleep.

"I am glad you're okay, Ganondorf," Nabooru said as they lay there, a touch of sad hopefulness in her voice.

Ganondorf did not reply.


	11. New Threads

Yay for fast updates! No Ganondorf for you with this chapter, but lots of new characters to enjoy! I hid a little easter egg in there for people that are really familiar with Ocarina of Time. Also, an image of the Tek'talla has been uploaded to my deviantART page. It's crappy, but if you want to see what the weapons really look like, it's better than nothing. The link is in my profile. Well, please review everyone, and a warm hello and thank you to my new reviewers! I wanted to address everyone individually, but I'm running late for a date, and my girl will kill me xD

* * *

Impa strode purposefully down a long hall of Hyrule Castle. Long hallways made up much of Hyrule Castle. She had decided some time ago that the first king of Hyrule must have thought that long hallways made the man. Based on the occasional addition to the castle, that view didn't seem to have changed through the royal line.

She set a quick pace down the hallway and that, in addition to her expression, caused any servants she came across to move quickly aside so as to stay out of her way. Though she was only twenty-six, her naturally snow-white hair and sharp features provided her a very serious and severe look; one that she found constantly useful. Her boots made no sound on the expensive red carpet that led down all of the castle's many corridors. She stared gruffly at the paintings adorning the walls. Most of them were of Hyrule landscapes or portraits of the castle's previous monarchy. All of them irritated her. It seemed not a section of wall in the castle was left without an image to decorate it. She was certain some of them must repeat. There was just so many hallways, and so many pictures... It gave her a headache.

Impa reached the end of her current path. A window to the right looked out upon the castle courtyard. The wall that stood before her now held, surrounding the wooden door to one of the castle's many guest suites, the most audacious portraits of all. They were so unrealistic; so tasteless. A fat mustached man in red and blue? Some sort of green lizard (it was certainly not a dodongo)? Why did the king even keep these? She shook her head—this line of thought led to nothing but more painful headaches. She put these thoughts out of her mind, and pushed through the door to the guestroom.

The blonde girl sitting in a chair inside the room lifted her head from her hands as Impa entered. Her nose and forehead were bandaged, dried blood still visible from the week-old wounds. Fresh tears wetted her cheeks.

"Erryn," Impa began, firmly, yet with obvious care in her voice. "To cry is not becoming of a Sheikah." The girl's blue and white cloth garments were ripped and travel worn, a stark contrast to Impa's deep blue polished breastplate. Impa also wore a matching blue choker, prominently displaying the red eye of the Sheikah on the front of her neck.

"He was just inches from killing me, Impa!" Erryn cried, fresh tears readying themselves for descent. "You should have seen his face! And the way his fist glowed with foul energy! I have visions of it every time I close my eyes!"

Impa sighed. Despite Erryn's training, she remained a child still, not older than sixteen. "Facing death is the way of our people. You must learn to accept this."

Erryn did not respond to the admonition, asking instead, "And what will his highness have done with me? I have failed him."

Impa tried to reassure her. "Have faith in me. I go to speak to the king when I am through here. We all make mistakes, and I am certain he understands that."

Erryn's tears finally subsided. "Thank you, Impa. You are a true friend. I will not fail again." She laid a hand softly on the Tek'talla that lay in her lap. "I will not allow those Gerudo curs to succeed in their conspiracy against our king."

Yes, Impa thought to herself. Still a child, with so much to learn.

* * *

Umbar Fait held the title of King of Hyrule, though the title in itself was rather lofty and exaggerated. He ruled the Hylians of the land, but had no jurisdiction over the Goron, Zora, Kokiri, or Gerudo. This was a problem that he fully intended to rectify. As he held the title King of Hyrule, the position was obviously meant for a man of his stature.

His stature, as it were, was one of huge proportion. Nearly seven feet tall, his muscle was as solid as a Goron's back. In battle he carried a great warhammer that the strongest of the royal guard could barely lift. The hammer was like no other weapon in Hyrule. Its head was flat on one side, strong enough to shatter a boulder, and spiked on the other side, able to pierce the strongest platemail like a softened melon. Where the king had obtained this weapon, he told no one. All of this, along with his dark brown hair and long, scruffy beard made Fait seem more fit to lead a bandit tribe than the strongest economic and military nation in Hyrule.

Fait had come to the throne twenty years earlier, when his uncle died of illness, leaving no successor. Another of Fait's uncles had made a grab for the throne, and met with Fait's hammer in a formal succession challenge. Fait immediately proved himself as worthy a leader as he was a fighter, bolstering the Hylian army, strengthening trade agreements with the Gorons (though relations with the Zora soured), and ruling over his people in a just manner. With the freedoms and riches of the King of Hyrule, his belly had grown as if with great desire to catch up to the rest of his body, but his strength and skill never dulled. Through the years, hidden from the public eye, Fait had been planning and preparing, his fair rule over his own people not quenching his thirst for rule over all of Hyrule's peoples. And when the final steps were being put into motion, a problem developed.

"Kirandorf and that boy of his still live," he said to Impa, matter-of-factly. The two were alone in the king's conference room.

"The boy was more powerful than we anticipated. At least as powerful as Kirandorf himself, by reports."

Fait roared with laughter that seemed strong enough to shake the foundations of the castle itself. "A mere boy, as powerful as Kirandorf, the King of Thieves? I am afraid I don't put so much faith as you in that child assassin of yours as to believe that."

"Regardless, she has learned from her mistake," Impa insisted. "She will not fail again."

"The pieces are finally being put into their positions, Impa. The first move is about to be made, and I need it to be made with clockwork precision. I will find something else to occupy the girl's time. I have a new idea for dealing with the Gerudo."

Fait walked to the door and opened it to address the guard outside the room. "Send for my two fastest messengers." He shut the door and turned back to Impa.

"Gildo and Dorcas can handle this matter. I have one more thing for you to do now. I received a report this morning that Naru has finally been caught. She was snooping around the moat trying to find a way into the castle, no doubt to speak with Erryn. She is in the dungeon. You should have a word with her."

"As you wish, sire." Impa bowed and made her way out of the room, passing the two messengers as she left.

* * *

Naru barely glanced up from her place on the dungeon floor as Impa entered. She sat with her arms in shackles above her head. Her clothing resembled Erryn's, although considerably more ragged. Her face was beginning to line with age, and her hair was slowly giving up its brunette pigment.

"I figured he would send you. It is just a test of your loyalty, you know? See if you can kill your own mother."

Impa looked at the older Sheikah without any outward display of her feelings. "You are not my mother. I have no mother."

Naru looked into her eyes this time, making no effort to hide her anger. "I raised you from infancy! I am the closest thing to a mother you ever had!"

Impa remained as unreadable as stone. "You are still a traitor. The vast majority of the Sheikah follow me. With your death, your ragtag band of rebels will fall to pieces."

"Your king is the traitor!" Naru spat. "He seeks to bring war on Hyrule because of his insatiable lust for power! You are just as much a traitor for following him! The fall of the Sheikah will be on your shoulders and yours alone!"

The argument was taking its toll on Impa. Her voice began to gain heat. "The duty of the Sheikah is to protect the holders of the Triforce! You have broken the sacred vows that make you a Sheikah!"

"The royal family has not held the Triforce in centuries!" Naru screamed at the top of her lungs now. She stood and pulled against her shackles, bringing her face mere inches from Impa's. "Fait is a fool and the goddesses have forsaken him!"

"_Liar!_" Impa's hand flashed from behind her back and Naru fell to the wall, blood rhythmically pulsing from the opening in her stomach in a mockery of the final beats of her heart.

* * *

Outside the cell, Impa leaned her head against the wall. Unable to hold in her emotions any longer, she sobbed hysterically. After several moments, Fait appeared on the stairs, curious to see if Impa had succeeded. He peeked into Naru's cell, then looked to Impa.

"Do not fret, my child. You have served your duty well." He placed a hand on his shoulder, and made a twisted smile she could not see. "To cry is not becoming of a Sheikah."


	12. Zora's Domain

Sorry for the wait everyone, but here's chapter 12! Back to Ganondorf again, of course. Please review! Oh, and good eye sakume! I thought you might get it. ;)

P.S. I just realized that back in chapter 10 I referred to "Termina Field." Wow I'm an idiot. Can't keep my games straight, I guess. It has since been changed to Hyrule Field as it should be, and all further mentions will be of Hyrule Field.

* * *

The sun hung high in the sky as Nabooru sat outside the waterfall entrance to Zora's Domain. Before her lay a latticework of grassy stone bridges stretching over the very beginnings of the river that flowed east across the entire land of Hyrule. There it formed the chasm at the entrance of Gerudo Valley, then continued far south until it became Lake Hylia. The bridges appeared to be natural, but she couldn't understand how something such as them could be naturally formed. They extended upward and over themselves, seeming to defy gravity as they climbed to the waterfall she now sat before. When they had first arrived here almost two weeks ago, the night after the attack on Ganondorf, she had been nearly too frightened to climb them. After all, she had not been taught to swim growing up in the desert.

After they entered past the waterfall and into Zora's Domain, she knew it had all been worth it. It was a massive cavern, the roof seemingly as high above as the sky itself. Every wall in the cave glittered like crystal, and the pristine water that filled nearly every part of the domain shined to match. To the left of the entrance fell yet another waterfall, dropping into a wide pool so deep that she could not see the bottom, though the water was clear as glass. She had been tickled by the idea of a waterfall inside a cave hidden by a waterfall. The path led upward to the top of the internal waterfall, with dwellings cut into the walls on either side. At the top were the chambers of the king, beyond which lay the mouth of the river that spanned Hyrule: Zora's Fountain, home to the giant fish and god of the Zora, Jabu-Jabu.

The Zora themselves were an amphibian race: they could breathe both underwater and out of it. They were slender with webbed feet and large fins that grew from their arms and waists. The backs of their heads elongated to resemble the tail of a fish, and their skin was a beautiful light shade of blue. There was not a trace of hair on their bodies, and they wore no clothing. Their grace in the water could not be matched by any creature in Hyrule. Nor, Nabooru had decided in the days they had spent here, could their kindness.

The king, Asla, had welcomed the travelers to his chamber immediately. He appeared to Nabooru much the same as all of the Zora did, though perhaps slightly more muscular. She had trouble telling most of the Zora apart. It became quickly apparent that Asla and Kirandorf were old friends, and they spent much of their time together, talking of joys past and tidings present. This left Ganondorf and Nabooru most of the days to do as they liked.

Nabooru had reluctantly begun swimming lessons with a group of friendly Zora her age. They had assured her that the blue tunic they gave her was enchanted with Zora magic, and would allow her to breathe underwater. They had playfully shoved her into the pool after she had donned the tunic, and she discovered as she flailed helplessly that it did indeed work as they had promised, though she nearly died of fright, much to the Zoras' amusement. After practicing daily, however, she had decided she quite liked swimming, and had even braved the pool without the tunic the day before, though she stayed very near the wall. Kirandorf had amazed everyone one day by appearing out of nowhere and diving gracefully from the waterfall, then proving himself a natural at swimming. Ganondorf, however, refused to even dip his feet.

Instead, he spent much of his days with Lilya, King Asla's six-year-old daughter. She was quite enraptured by the young man, and though he fervently denied it, Nabooru could tell he enjoyed the child's attention. She could not help but giggle at the frequent sight of the hulking, muscular prince of the Gerudo walking through Zora's Domain holding Lilya's miniscule hand in his palm as she skipped and laughed merrily.

Just as she thought this, the waterfall behind her split, revealing the entrance to the cavern, Ganondorf and Lilya framed by the opening. Ganondorf's right arm had been taken out of its splint two days ago, though the wounds were still healing. The Gerudo man lifted the girl onto his shoulders and leaped across the gap to where Nabooru sat, the young Zora giggling madly with excitement. Nabooru smiled, but sadly, wishing Ganondorf would pay her such attention as he paid to the child. He had seemed so open that night at the Channel of Winds, but that seemed like so long ago now. Ever since then he had been cold and closed off to her, and the attack on him by that mysterious girl had only caused him to pull further into himself. She got so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ganondorf saying her name until the second time.

"Nabooru!"

"What? Sorry," she stumbled, looking up at him.

"I said I am taking Lilya to Hyrule Field to pick fruit. Would you like to come?"

Perhaps the relaxing days in this paradise had served to open him up after all, she thought to herself. "I would love to, if you will have me."

Ganondorf set Lilya back on the ground and placed her hand once more in his own. The Zora smiled up at Nabooru and grabbed her hand with her other arm.

Laughing again, she proclaimed, "I love you Gannie! I love you Naboo!" her little mouth unable to vocalize Nabooru's name completely. Nabooru laughed herself and questioned the child.

"Did you make Ganondorf's nickname up yourself?"

Lilya nodded. "It's lots easier to say."

"You're right," agreed Nabooru, still laughing. "I like it very much."

Ganondorf grunted, but smiled. Hand in hand, the two Gerudo and the small Zora began down the winding bridges to Hyrule Field.

* * *

That evening, Ganondorf, Kirandorf, and Nabooru supped with the King in his chamber. As they waited for their meal to be prepared, they shared old stories.

"And so here we are at the annual Gerudo sword tournament," Kirandorf was saying, leaning toward Asla for emphasis. "And Ganondorf moves to parry my strike. So I kick his sword, just real lightly to set it off its path, and he cuts right through the front of his trousers, exposing himself to every Gerudo woman in the village!"

Both kings howled loudly, pounding the arms of their seats. Nabooru tried not to laugh for Ganondorf's sake, but soon gave up and joined the kings. Ganondorf's face had turned red enough to match his hair, though he couldn't help but laugh a bit himself.

As they recovered, a fat Zora, nearly as round as he was tall, walked into the room carrying a tray of four drinks. He set one in front of each of them.

"Gildo, you are my squire! You have no obligation to be serving me like this," Asla said jovially, patting the younger Zora on the back. Gildo smiled but waved off his concern.

"I am a deformity and a disgrace; the only Zora in history unable to swim. I was ridiculed and outcast my entire life. Even my parents threw me out, and yet you took pity on me and made me your squire. The least I can do is help entertain your guests."

"You are more than my squire, Gildo," the king said to him. "You are a true friend. To Gildo," he proclaimed, lifting his drink, and the three Gerudo did the same.

Draining his glass and setting it down, Asla began a story of his own. "That was embarrassing, but did I ever tell you about the time I..." He was choked off suddenly, and grasped at his neck, falling to the floor. Everything happened so quickly that Ganondorf could barely follow.

Two Zora stood at each end of the chamber: the king's guard. One on each side suddenly lifted his spear and stabbed his comrade through the neck. From behind the Gerudo, six fully armored Hylian knights emerged, each taking hold of one of the desert warriors' arms. Another six knights came from behind the king's throne, led by the man in red they had seen leading the convoy toward Kokiri forest. Asla looked around from his place on the floor.

"Gildo, what is happening?" he managed to rasp.

"What is happening, is that I am climbing above your worthless pity. I am climbing above all Zora! They could not be more right to call me different. For I am superior!"

He gave the king a kick to the face with one of his stubbly legs, but by then the poison had already done its job. King Asla of the Zora spoke no more.

The blonde man in red satin strode confidently toward Kirandorf. "You must be the King of Thieves. I have wanted so badly to meet you. I am Dorcas, ambassador to King Umbar Fait of Hyrule. The king has requested your presence."

"I do not suppose I have a choice," Kirandorf said, scowling at the smug ambassador.

"Very astute," he smirked, then turned to the two Zoran guards. "Bring me the princess."

Minutes later they returned, each carrying Lilya by an arm as she struggled to break free. When she saw the scene in the king's chamber, her face became even more frightened.

"Gildo, what's going on?"

Before she could receive an answer, her eyes fell upon Asla's body. "_Daddy!_" she shrieked, tearing at the Zora who held her.

Dorcas' rapier was a flash, out and back into its scabbard almost quicker than Ganondorf could follow. The six-year-old princess' throat was opened, spilling its contents as the Zora dropped her next to her father, her face frozen in wide-eyed surprise. Nabooru fell to her knees in shock, crying freely. Kirandorf's only reaction was to tighten his mouth.

"_Lilya!_" cried Ganondorf, tears erupting from his eyes. His muscles bulged through the leisure clothes the Zora had provided him and he pulled the guards who held his arms together with all his force. Their armored heads impacted each other, and Ganondorf pressed them together until they crumpled, blood leaking from the eye slits. He then leapt toward Dorcas in a rage, unable to hear Kirandorf's warning to stop.

Dorcas smiled and sidestepped the furious Gerudo, grabbing his right arm and twisting it behind his back. Both of the wounds from his fight two weeks ago were reopened, and leaked blood anew. Dorcas pulled a dagger from a sheath on his thigh and thrust it deep into the wound on Ganondorf's shoulder. As the Gerudo fell to his knees in pain, Dorcas turned him to face his companions, both of whom had swords held to their throats.

"It is in your best interest to end this foolishness."

Ganondorf's head dropped, defeated, tears flowing unabated. "If it is the last thing I do, I _will_ kill you."

Dorcas leaned down, just inches from his face. "The first reward I shall ask of the king for this success is to give you the opportunity to try. Shackle them," the ambassador ordered his guards, pulling the dagger mercilessly from Ganondorf's shoulder. "Gildo, address your people."

The bulbous Zora walked to the edge of the waterfall and called in his loudest voice, "People of Zora's Domain, I have urgent news!" After the entire population gathered underneath him, he began.

"Despite my warnings, King Asla allowed the treacherous Gerudo to enter our sacred dwelling. They have fooled us all into trusting them; even I was beginning to be won over. Yet tonight they have revealed their true selves. Our king lays dead!"

There was a collective cry from the Zora, most falling to the ground in tears.

Hearing these words, Dorcas took Kirandorf's broadsword and dealt Asla's body a fierce chop. "It was a bad idea to kill the king," he whispered lowly to Kirandorf, smiling as he replaced sword in its sheath. Gildo continued his address.

"All is not lost! Princess Lilya has escaped from Zora's Domain, and the guards managed to kill the murderous Gerudo, though two were lost. The bodies of the Gerudo will be offered to Lord Jabu-Jabu. I offer myself as Steward of Zora's Domain until the princess is found! We must not let these desert vermin upset our stability!"

The crowd was bolstered by Gildo's words. One Zora swam forward in the pool below, wiping his eyes. "You are right, Gildo. What would you have us do?"

After splitting the Zora into parties and giving them areas of Hyrule to search, Gildo turned back to the company behind him, speaking to the two Zora guards in allegiance with him.

"Hide the princess' body and leave as your own search team. Return in two weeks and we shall claim she was killed by bandits. Go."

The Zora set into action. Finding the situation to be under control, Dorcas prepared to leave.

"You have done well, Gildo. Enjoy your rule. King Fait shall contact you soon."

Gildo nodded and set himself on the throne. "This chair really is as comfortable as it looks."

The knights pressed their captives forward, up to Zora's Fountain. There they made their way in silence down the secret path Gildo had revealed to Dorcas for his entry earlier that day. When they reached the bottom, horses awaited them, secured to several trees. Each Gerudo was forced onto a horse and tied to ensure they would not fall, and the group began their trek to Hyrule Castle.


	13. Audience With the King

Sorry for the wait, guys! Without schoolwork to avoid, I have little motivation. I was originally going to have this and chapter 14 as one, but it turned out longer than I had expected, and it's getting late. I'm very excited for the next chapter, though, so I will likely have it up as early as tomorrow. Please keep the reviews coming, I love every one of them!

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The ride to Hyrule Castle was a long one for the captive Gerudo. They traveled tied to their horses, jostled and bruised by every bump or jolt the animals made. Nights offered little respite as they slept on the open ground, bound to trees rather than horses. Dorcas and the Hylian knights passed up no opportunity to punish their captives, whether the transgressions be real or not. They could not talk, move, or very well think without permission.

After four grueling days of riding, the party reached Hyrule Castle Town in the late afternoon of their fifth day. The town was bordered by the river that flowed from Zora's Domain, over which lay a large drawbridge. When raised, the drawbridge would close the only opening (other than sewage drains) in the stone wall that surrounded the city. Hyrule Castle Town was the economic center of Hyrule, and it showed. Two-storied buildings lined every street: homes, shops, taverns, and gamehouses. The cobblestone roads bustled with evening traffic. Merchants and farmers sold their wares, and town residents went from place to place, pushed aside every so often by the mercenaries and bodyguards leading the occasional nobleperson's litter. Travelers from all of Hyrule's races except the Kokiri were present: Hylians by far the majority, though Gorons were common, a handful of Zora were dispersed throughout the crowd, and even a single Gerudo runaway could be seen performing acrobatics for loose change. Much of the hubbub was located in the center of the city at the town square, centered itself by an ornate fountain.

It was through the town square that the castle-bound convoy now rode. The knights made a wedge formation with the Gerudo to the back. The crowd split as they made their way through, careful not to impede the king's ambassador, and a trail of silence was left in their wake as all eyes fell upon the travel-worn captives. Kirandorf and Ganondorf's glares moved the crowd farther back than the Hylian knights could ever hope to.

As they rode toward the castle, the houses surrounding them became larger and more outlandishly decorated. The powdered faces of noblemen and women could be seen staring disdainfully from windows. To his right, Ganondorf could see a large cathedral from over the rooftops, and noticed that Kirandorf's eyes seemed to follow it intently.

"What is that—" Ganondorf began to ask him, only to be met with a sharp jab to the ribs with the blunt end of a soldier's spear. Ganondorf gave the soldier an open-mouthed scowl, displaying his teeth, and felt some amount of satisfaction that the man rode slightly farther away after that. He turned back to Kirandorf, who shook his head slightly as if to say, 'I'll tell you later.'

Leaving Castle Town behind, the group entered an open meadow, the imposing Hyrule Castle waiting at the top of the hill. Through a checkpoint gate and up a winding path they rode. As they crossed the small moat in front of the palace, the guards stationed at the main entrance pressed the wide doors open for them, and they rode into the expansive entrance hall. A giant of a man with a beard that reached his chest was waiting for them as they entered.

Dismounting, Dorcas dropped to one knee and bowed his head. The knights did the same. "Your Highness, King Umbar Fait of Hyrule, I come to deliver good tidings."

The king's baritone voice seemed to rumble in Ganondorf's ear. "Rise, Dorcas, and speak."

"The Kokiri have assured me that they have no cares for the affairs of outside world and will not interfere with your campaign. They are weak and defenseless, and will be an easy conquest. Asla and his daughter have been dealt with and Gildo now sits on the Zoran throne. The Zora accepted the ruse without question. And," he swept his arm around to indicate the three Gerudo, who were being brought off of the horses at spearpoint to have their hands shackled behind their backs. "The King of Thieves has graciously agreed to your request for an audience."

Fait's malicious smile was unmistakable. "Excellent. Let us take this to the throne room."

The horses were taken away to the castle stables as the group made a short trek down several hallways. Ganondorf was careful to memorize the path they took. The throne room was as wide and long as the entrance hall. Behind the throne stood two women. One had white hair, though she was still young, and wore a polished blue breastplate and a choker with the red eye marking it. The other, the younger of the two, was clothed in familiar blue and white with the same red eye on her breast. Her Tek'talla hung threateningly from her belt. As Ganondorf's eyes fell upon her, a low growl escaped his lips. She looked confidently into those eyes, and much to her credit, did not budge.

Umbar Fait sat on his throne, his massive golden warhammer leaning against it in waiting. The captives were forced roughly to their knees before him. Dorcas took position behind the Gerudo, and the knights lined themselves against the walls. Fait smiled genially, though his eyes betrayed an evil glint.

"Kirandorf, my old friend; it has been far too long."

Kirandorf's face remained stoic, and his voice matched it. "You do not have my friendship, Umbar, and you never have."

Fait frowned at his rival king. "I could have had Gildo poison you along with that boor of a king Asla. But I took mercy in my desire to see you after so long. And especially," he turned to face Ganondorf, smile returning, "to meet this successor of yours who could beat one of my finest Sheikah. What is his name?" he asked Kirandorf.

"My name," Ganondorf said, angry at being ignored, "is Ganondorf."

The king turned back to face him, expression again a scowl, and dealt him a fierce kick to the face that sent him sprawling to his back. "You will speak when spoken to, boy!" he screamed at the bloodied Gerudo.

"What kind of king are you?" Kirandorf demanded. "You attack an incapacitated man, you poison a fair ruler, and you murder his six-year-old daughter just to further your ambitions! Have you not one drop of honor?"

The King of Hyrule laughed out loud. "Honor?" he spat the word, standing and pacing in front of the warriors. "What do I care for honor? Honor is simply a concept invented by weaklings so that they may feel important in front of other weaklings. I have no use for honor. I desire the one truly important possession." He stared intently at Kirandorf. "Power."

Kirandorf dropped his gaze dismissively. "Then you are a fool. Hyrule will not stand united under your rule."

"They will not have a choice," the giant king assured him. "I brought you here in hopes you could be made to understand, but I see now that it was useless." He turned and waved his arm at the Gerudo men. "Take them out and execute them. I have no further use for them. You, however," he began, walking toward Nabooru. He pulled her to her feet and felt her body roughly. "Hmmm," he grunted, smiling. "I will keep you as my own personal toy."

The girl glared into his eyes, unflinching. "I bite."

Fait's giant hand clamped around her throat, lifting her body off of the ground. He pressed her face into his as she choked for air. "Then I'll rip every tooth from your mouth," he whispered, then enveloped her mouth with his.

He sat back on his throne with Nabooru on his lap and ripped her top off. Erryn watched uncertainly from behind the king as he openly groped this girl no older than herself. Ganondorf had to force himself to remain still, his entire body shaking with rage.

"Take the men from my sight," he ordered the knights.

As they stepped forward, Dorcas motioned for them to wait. "Your Highness, if I may make a single request."

Fait frowned. "If it is quick, Dorcas. I want to break in my new concubine."

"Of course, sire. I promised this one," he motioned to Ganondorf, "that I would kill him in a fair fight. Would you grant me the pleasure?"

The king considered his ambassador's request. "A good show before bed would certainly not be amiss. Release that one and give him his weapon," he ordered the knights. "You have not had a challenging fight for many years, Dorcas," he said, grinning.

Dorcas returned the grin and bowed. "Alas, I am uncertain I will find one today."

Kirandorf was taken to the wall by several guards, as another unlocked Ganondorf's shackles, leaping back quickly as the Gerudo's hands were freed. Ganondorf stood, flexing his wrists, then caught the broadsword thrown to him.

"You have sealed your fate," he said, glowering at Dorcas.

"We shall see," the blonde replied, unsheathing his rapier as his smirk grew wider.


	14. Battle in the Throne Room

Well... it's a few days past "tomorrow." As usual, life interfered with writing, so I offer my apologies. One day I'll learn not to make promises. Still, a new chapter only a few days later isn't a bad deal, right? This one's really really exciting too! It took me so long to write, because not only is it my longest chapter so far page-wise, it's also my densest (there's not much dialogue). I love this one, though, so I hope you do too! First, though, reviewer responses:

_Sakume_: My ever-faithful reviewer. You haven't missed a chapter yet, have you? Hehe, yes, you should be saying that. That's the point of my story. I don't think any of us can wait for Twilight Princess, and I personally can't wait for more stories from you!

_Chips Dip_: What an awesome reaction! I'm glad you like it so much, and I hope I can look forward to your continued reading. Though, I personally don't think I write enough, I try to get a new chapter every week and a half or so. Sorry this one's a few days late, but I hope you like it. Thanks for reviewing!

_Rodariain_: You are certainly on the track to becoming a faithful reviewer yourself, yes? I'm glad I can write something you enjoy so much. You know, it's funny, out of all the reactions I get to my story on all three sites I post it, massive hate for Umbar Fait seems to be the most common. Now why would that be? xP

_Spacejoe_: Thanks so much, I'm truly flattered! I have already promised that this story will never be abandoned or put on hiatus, so you have nothing to worry about there! Just to sate my curiosity, who recommended this story to you? And tell them I said thanks!

Ok, on with the chapter then. Please please please leave a review!

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Steel shrieked as two swords met each other again and again. Dorcas' thin rapier could not withstand a full impact with Ganondorf's broadsword, but Dorcas had no intention of it doing so. His rapier was matched to him perfectly. It was quick and precise, tailored to redirect its opponent's excess energy rather than to deflect it. Every strike that Ganondorf's broadsword made saw Dorcas' weapon sliding down the length of the blade, moving it harmlessly out of the way, and making a returning jab almost faster than the Gerudo could defend against.

Ganondorf fought with barely-contained rage. The smug blonde swordsman continued to press his abilities. His mentor, and the man he thought of as a father, sat on his knees by the wall, flanked by guards with his hands shackled behind his back. Nabooru was held on the lap of a ruthless giant of a man, being groped carelessly as he fought. He did not know what feelings he held for the girl, and had been in a state of constant confusion about how to behave toward her since the night before they left Gerudo Valley. What he did know was that nothing enraged him more about his entire situation than to watch her treated like some kind of toy.

Ganondorf swung hard at his opponent, pulling his swipe suddenly downward as the rapier came to meet it. Dorcas followed the feint easily, though, and once again pressed Ganondorf's attack aside. He thrust again, this time quicker than Ganondorf could follow, and his rapier punctured the Gerudo's side. Ganondorf felt blood leak from the tiny wound as the ambassador raised an eyebrow and smiled. He was _toying _with Ganondorf!

Roaring in anger, the desert warrior became enveloped in the purple glow that had first appeared in his fight with the girl behind the throne. He swung his broadsword with all his might at Dorcas' legs. As the blonde moved to parry, Ganondorf released the hilt of his weapon and brought both fists up to meet Dorcas' chin. The ambassador took the hit and was thrown to the ground. The purple energy surrounding Ganondorf glowed brighter with the connection.

"Use it, Ganondorf!" Kirandorf yelled from his place at the wall. "Control your anger and make it your weapon! Do not let it control you!"

Ganondorf, however, was not listening. He had already rolled to retrieve his blade, and now made a vertical strike toward the prone form of Dorcas. The blonde rolled quickly to the side, barely avoiding the attack, and slashed his rapier across Ganondorf's left hand. The Gerudo pulled back, grasping the wound with his free hand. Dorcas took this moment to thrust out with his legs, sweeping Ganondorf off of his feet, his head impacting the hard stone floor.

Ganondorf found himself momentarily dazed. As his vision cleared, the red blur above him solidified into Dorcas, blood running from his mouth where Ganondorf's punch had landed, and rapier waiting at the Gerudo's neck.

"And so, it is over already," the smaller man said, pulling his sword back for the finishing strike.

Ganondorf reached his arms out in a vain attempt to stop what would be his deathblow. _Use it! Make it your weapon!_ The words suddenly raced through his mind as the rapier descended on him in what seemed like slow-motion. He instantly felt a force all around him—a pulsing energy surrounding and emanating from his body. He coaxed this energy back into himself, slowly at first, then more quickly as he began to understand how to will it forward. It seemed like he struggled with it for an eternity, pressing it up through his arms as it pulsed with a lifeforce all its own, though in reality this all took place in a mere fraction of a second. Just as Dorcas' rapier was about to pierce Ganondorf's throat, the purple energy surrounding his body coalesced at his upraised hands, and then shot out in the form of a black-purple fireball, engulfing Dorcas and hurling him across the throne room.

Umbar Fait's eyes widened in shock, his head turning to follow his ambassador's flight across the room. Nabooru had been waiting for just such an opportunity, and twisted to plant her feet firmly between the king's legs, kicking off into a flying backflip. Fait was doubled over in pain as Nabooru landed next to Ganondorf, who no longer glowed with energy.

Taking equal advantage of the distraction, Kirandorf strained against his shackles, roaring with exertion as his massive arms bulged. With a loud _crack _the steel bindings shattered. The two armored knights surrounding Kirandorf grasped for their spears, but the desert king had already grabbed their ankles, pulling them off of their feet. As they fell to the ground, Kirandorf thrust his elbows with full force down onto their necks, feeling their armor crumple and their vertebrae snap satisfyingly.

In the sudden chaos, every guard in the throne room rushed toward the three Gerudo. Kirandorf grabbed at the first spear to be thrust at him, pulling it past him and through the sliding armor plates into the abdomen of a knight behind him. Kicking out at the wielder of the spear, Kirandorf caught him in the front of his helmet and heard his head impact against the metal inside. As the knight crumpled to the ground, the King of Thieves relieved him of his spear and made a wide horizontal swing with it, batting aside the three guards in front of him and clearing the way to his and Nabooru's weapons.

During this time, Ganondorf had quickly cut through Nabooru's shackles. Three knights were already descending on them. Ganondorf deflected one spear with his sword and the other with his boot, standing on it to pin it to the ground. His sword extended past the spear it had deflected and pierced the first knight's armor like paper, bringing his blood out of the armor along with it as it was removed. Spinning quickly, he released the second spear from under his foot. Its wielder was set off balance by the sudden release of the weapon he had been tugging on, and could not defend against Ganondorf's strike, which left his armored head rolling across the floor.

The third knight's spear was deflected off of one of Nabooru's bracelets, and she quickly dealt the man three quick kicks to the face. Though she did not have the strength to hurt him through the steel helmet, the force left him dazed long enough for Nabooru to spin around him, yank off his helmet, and snap his neck.

Nabooru heard Kirandorf shout her name, and turned toward him, catching her twin scimitars as they were tossed to her. As she caught them, she was forced to twist again and cross the scimitars in front of her in defense against the thin, single-edged blade that appeared suddenly before her face. The white-haired woman wielding the blade attacked again and again with speed and precision that Nabooru admired as she defended herself. Knocking a horizontal attack aside with one of her scimitars, the Gerudo girl spun so that her back faced her opponent and kicked her heel into the woman's chin. Continuing with her momentum, she allowed herself to flip over and land on her back, swinging her second scimitar upward as she did. The white-haired fighter leaped into the air, clearing the radius of Nabooru's attack before it could connect, and landed several feet away.

"I must say, I am impressed that such a young girl as you can fight like this," she said, as Nabooru jumped to her feet. "One would think you would be too embarrassed at being half naked."

Nabooru turned bright red as if just remembering the fact, and covered herself with her arms. Her attacker used the girl's distraction to rejoin the battle, swinging her blade fiercely.

Meanwhile, Kirandorf had joined Ganondorf in the center of the room, and they fought back to back against Dorcas and the girl who had attacked Ganondorf several weeks ago. Kirandorf had adapted to fighting Dorcas' rapier, and when the blonde tried to slide Kirandorf's broadsword away, the old king slid his weapon upward against him and thrust it toward his neck. Dorcas bent backward under Kirandorf's swing, left hand stopping him against the ground and pushing him back upward to attack.

Ganondorf attacked fiercely against the girl's twin Tek'talla, determined not to let her off of the defensive. She ducked under one of his swings, readying a slice to his abdomen, but he brought his knee up and rammed it into her face. As she staggered back, he kicked her again, causing her to fall to the floor. He then raised his broadsword above his head to deliver the finishing blow.

"Roll!" Kirandorf yelled suddenly.

Instinctively, Ganondorf did as he was warned, Kirandorf doing the same in the opposite direction, as the flat end of a golden warhammer shattered the stone floor where they had been standing an instant earlier. Kirandorf's roll brought him to Dorcas' feet, and he punched him in the stomach as the blonde shielded his face from flying stone shards. The wind was knocked out of him, and the ambassador fell to the ground.

Nabooru had managed to slice her opponent across her unprotected side, and kicked her hard behind the knee, dropping her to the ground with enough force to render her unconscious.

Their opponents momentarily dealt with, all three Gerudo converged on Umbar Fait. The giant king moved more quickly than his girth would suggest, swinging his warhammer in a wide arc that kept the two men at bay. Nabooru's scimitars were on target, connecting with Fait's back, but were easily deflected by concealed chain mail. Fait swung the end of the warhammer's handle at her. It connected with her ribs with a cracking sound, and she was rocketed across the room. Hitting a wall with a loud _thud_, the girl slumped to the floor and remained there.

"Nabooru!" bellowed Ganondorf, as both remaining Gerudo once again made for Fait. Fait made a vertical strike at Ganondorf with the massive warhammer, which Ganondorf dodged easily. He jumped over the long handle to swing his broadsword at the king's face, but Fait brought the handle up and entangled Ganondorf's legs, causing him to fall to the ground. Kirandorf's thrust was about to connect with Fait's large stomach when the hammer was brought down atop his blade. He instead dealt a kick to the king's stomach with all his might, which staggered Fait slightly, but caused no great harm.

As Ganondorf stood, he found Fait's great warhammer once again careening toward him. He lifted his broadsword in the quickest defense he could muster, but the weight and momentum of the golden hammer wrenched the sword from his grip, forcing him against the wall. Dropping the hammer, Fait shrugged off Kirandorf's attack with a backhand that sent the smaller king to the floor, then grabbed Ganondorf around the neck with his meaty fists. His face was twisted in a victorious grin as he lifted Ganondorf from the ground, crushing him against the wall by his neck. Ganondorf clawed at Fait's hands frantically, but made no leeway. Lifting his feet, he kicked Fait hard in the face. The king grunted, but only squeezed harder. Again, Ganondorf kicked him. Again... again... again. Finally, the hands released his neck, and Ganondorf dropped roughly to the ground, choking for air and coughing blood.

Fait reeled backwards, cursing in pain and grasping at his bloodied face. Lifting his warhammer from the ground, he swung it at Ganondorf, who sat against the wall, unable to make any kind of defense.

As Ganondorf readied himself for death, Kirandorf was suddenly in front of him, being shoved against the wall himself. The King of Thieves held his broadsword against the warhammer, one hand on the hilt, one hand on the flat of the blade, which bent dangerously.

"We cannot fight off the whole castle, Ganondorf. Take Nabooru and run!" Kirandorf ordered him, straining against the warhammer.

"But what about you?" Ganondorf would not leave Kirandorf to fight alone.

"I'll catch up! Just go!"

Ganondorf moved from his position toward Nabooru just as Kirandorf's broadsword gave way, snapping in half and showering the combatants with steel shards. The handle of the warhammer connected with him and tossed him like a rag doll, continuing on to crash entirely through one of the throne room's many pillars.

Nabooru was just becoming conscious when Ganondorf reached her. He helped her to her feet and they made their way to the door. As the reached it, however, it burst open, and a dozen soldiers hurried in, along with one man and three women dressed in blue and white with the red eye symbol emblazoned on their clothing. As the two Gerudo screeched to a halt, a white ball of energy streaked past them. It impacted the ground where the new arrivals stood, incinerating the armored knights in an explosion, though the blue and white clothed warriors managed to leap swiftly out of the way. Turning, Ganondorf and Nabooru saw Kirandorf running toward them, his body glowing white similarly to how Ganondorf's had glowed purple.

"Go!" he shouted, when suddenly the spiked end of a golden warhammer erupted from his chest, spattering Ganondorf and Nabooru with gore. His white glow disappeared instantly.

"_Noooooo!_" Ganondorf screamed, preparing to strike.

"Stop!" Kirandorf sputtered, the warhammer held by a panting and fuming Umbar Fait the only thing supporting him. "You must... protect... the Valley. Run!" He was cut off suddenly as Dorcas' rapier emerged through his mouth from the back of his head. The ambassador stood from his place on the ground, holding his head.

"One down, two to go," he said, smiling evilly.

Both Fait and Dorcas pulled their weapons from Kirandorf's body and began slowly toward the remaining Gerudo, as did the four new warriors. Choking back tears, Ganondorf glared at them as menacingly as he could.

"One day, you will die by my hands for all that you have done."

Taking Nabooru's hand, he ran out the open door and swiftly through the hallways of Hyrule Castle. Fait's laughter echoed behind him.

"Run, King of Thieves! Run, King of bitches and their mewling pups! You can run all you like, but you will never escape from Umbar Fait!"

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Above the castle, two hags circled on their broomsticks.

"Are you ready, sister?" one asked.

"Very much so," the other replied with a smile.

Both witches raised their hands toward the moonless night sky. Glowing yellow lines begin to etch themselves in the air above them, elongating and entwining until they formed an ethereal net over their heads. They waited for some invisible cue, and then quickly lowered their hands, the net closing around itself. As it formed a perfect sphere, it disappeared completely, leaving in its place a small white flame with a piteous mockery of a face in the center. Popping the cork off of a clear glass bottle, the fire-haired witch scooped the flame into the bottle and replaced the cork, burning a small symbol into the stopper. It glowed briefly, magically sealing the bottle.

She brought the bottle up to her face and cackled at the soul inside. "The afterlife won't come to you that easily, I'm afraid. We have use for you."


	15. Keeper of the Temple

Oi... well, after almost four months, here's a chapter for you. If you're still interested (though I suppose if you weren't, you wouldn't even be reading this). And, even four months late, it's shorter than I wanted it to be. But that's because my computer crashed and I had to rewrite a lot and got discouraged. Chapter 16 will be up Sunday though, promise! Oh, and a note to those who may have forgotten some of the things that have happened to this point: chapter 16 will include a short in-story "summary" of the events thus far, so you don't have to bother rereading 14 chapters. I owe you that much, right? And I promise I'll try not to let this happen again... sorry. Just had lots of stuff happening in life, ya know?

P.S: In case you recognize a certain character from this chapter from another Zelda (not OoT), please don't spoil it for others in your reviews. Thanks!

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The booming voice of King Umbar Fait of Hyrule pulled Erryn from her unconscious slumber. Several feet away, she saw Impa lifting herself from the ground and followed suit. Both Sheikah, barring several minor cuts and bruises, along with favorably-sized lumps to the head, were fortunately spared injury.

By the time Erryn had regained her bearings, King Fait was in close conference with Ambassador Dorcas and the head of the castle guard, High Lieutenant Daphnes Nohansen. The lieutenant's armor was scorched, patches of his skin displaying minor burns. He had led the group of reinforcements that had been incinerated by the old Gerudo's blast and was the only non-Sheikah survivor of the attack. Those four Sheikah had already given chase to the fugitive Gerudo. A score of fresh guards stood at the throne room entrance, awaiting orders from their commander.

The three men conferred for several minutes longer. King Fait was obviously leading the discussion—giving orders to the other two. Dorcas appeared to argue briefly with the king, but Fait seemed in no mood for insubordination, and the ambassador's protests were quickly quelled. Nohansen, in contradiction, was the perfect picture of deference, nodding respectfully and offering no resistance. When the king finished his orders, both men bowed, though the High Lieutenant slightly more deeply.

Erryn's eyes followed Dorcas as he exited the throne room, obviously put into a sour mood from his orders. The more alert of the guards in his way stepped smartly aside; the others earned themselves a sharp shove. When she turned back, Erryn found Nohansen standing before her. She was only sixteen years of age, and he in his early twenties, so she felt awkward as he dropped to one knee before her, as always.

"Honored Sheikah, His Highness has relayed to me his wishes for the recapture of the escaped Gerudo. If I may, I will detail your part of the plan."

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"Thank you again for your words of healing last week, great sage. My daughter owes you her life."

Rauru, eldest sage, and Keeper of the Temple of Time, gently lifted the kneeling woman before him from the ground. "Please, Dora, why must you insist on such pompous titling? I am 'Rauru'—just 'Rauru'—and I am no great healer. The Goddesses are the great healers; I am simply their voice."

"And I thank the Goddesses every minute of every day for their gift," the somewhat-ragged looking peasant woman replied. "But still, I wish I had some real way to repay you."

The old sage laughed, touching Dora reassuringly on the shoulder. "You bake the best cookies in Hyrule—better than His Highness' own baker—and have given me enough to feed me for weeks. And regardless, I desire no repayment for helping those in need."

Dora clasped the Keeper's hand, tears in her eyes. "You are a blessing to us all, Rauru."

Rauru watched the woman as she left and said his farewells to the final straggling townspeople leaving after the day's service. Within an hour, the other members of the temple had left, and Rauru was alone. He idled around, tending the temple gardens outside, straightening and dusting furniture and objects of worship inside. He stopped in the gardens to greet the Gossip Stone—an ornately carven oval statue with a single large eye. Though he felt foolish for it, he always got the feeling that the statue listened to him when he spoke to it. Finally, duties done for the day, the Keeper stood behind the temple altar, hand and eyes upon the blue stone that had, as far back as he could remember, resided there. It was larger and wider than he, and bore a carving the three golden triangles that served as the symbol of the three Goddesses and as the royal family's crest—the Triforce. He knew it blocked access to another room—it was obvious by simply viewing the outside architecture of the temple—but no power had ever been able to move it. He spent many days wondering at what this azure barrier guarded, but knew that it would open only for one worthy of that knowledge.

Looking up from his reverie, Rauru's eye was caught by an owl perched in the window, larger by far than any bird he had ever seen. "Kaepora Gaebora, old friend. It has been some time, now. How have you been?"

The great owl clicked its beak in greeting. "Quite well, friend Keeper. Quite busy, but quite well. And yourself?"

"The same, though I feel my age gaining on me each day." Rauru was not surprised to hear the owl respond to him—indeed, they had been friends for many years. The bird claimed to be the reincarnation of the original Keeper and architect of the Temple of Time. He certainly possessed the knowledge to back up such a claim. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Rauru inquired.

"A favor—one of grave importance. If you never acquiesce me again, at least grant me this."

The old sage recognized the conviction in the owl's tone. "You are wise beyond me, Kaepora, and I trust your word. Speak your favor."

Gaebora face contorted into what could only be assumed to be a smile, considering the limitations of a beak. "Thank you, friend. Within moments, you will be visited by two Gerudo. I ask only one thing—help them."

Rauru furrowed his brow. "An ambiguous request—but you have my word."

The owl clicked his beak again and bobbed his head. "Then I must be on my way. Thank you again, Keeper Rauru. I shall look forward to our next meeting, however distant."

As Gaebora flew away, Rauru could not help but wonder at his words, though he knew he had not long to wait until their meaning became apparent.

As if summoned by the thought, the sound of running feet drifted through the open doorway, followed by two frantic Gerudo. The female entered first, a lithe young girl, certainly no more than fifteen or sixteen years of age, though obviously a seasoned fighter. She was wrapped hastily from her underarms to her waist in a white cape which the Keeper assumed belonged to her companion. He was larger and older, though probably no more than a few years, and had a tangible air of power around him. The instant his foot stepped into the temple, a female voice ripped through Rauru's head. No—three female voices, perfectly synchronized.

_He must not enter!_

Shaking his head, Rauru forced the voices from his mind. He would keep his word to Kaepora.

The girl raced behind the altar and, realizing there was no other exit, dropped to her knees in front of him. "Holy one, I beg—"

Rauru raised a hand to cut her off. "I have already been warned of your coming."

With these words, the Gerudo gasped and turned to run, assuming this meant he would turn them in.

"I will help you," he said, and they turned back. He pointed to the back corner of the room, to his left. "You will find that the wall there will move. There is a small path that will bypass Castle Town and lead you to Hyrule Field, though you will have to scale the town wall."

The female Gerudo looked to her companion as if wondering if they should trust him. The male looked into Rauru's eyes for the briefest of seconds, and then nodded to the girl. She looked up to him.

"Thank you, holy one."

They hurried to the indicated wall, feeling around until it swung backward and permitted them passage, closing behind them as they escaped. Mere seconds later, Ambassador Dorcas and High Lieutenant Nohansen hurried into the temple, followed by a score of knights. Dorcas addressed the Keeper brusquely.

"Have two Gerudo come this way?"

Rauru was a man of the Temple, and no matter the situation, could not lie. "They have."

"Which way did they go?"

Rauru pointed back out the door toward town. The path that the Gerudo took did parallel the direction he now indicated, so technically, he did not lie.

Dorcas' eyes followed the sage's direction. "Yet we did not pass them on our way here," the ambassador observed, not without a hint of suspicion in his voice. After a moment of consideration, he turned to Nohansen. "We shall pursue them into the Field. To the stables."

The knights filed out of the temple, followed by the two officers. Rauru's voice called back the High Lieutenant. "Daphnes!"

Nohansen turned back to Rauru, who descended from the altar toward him. Dorcas also twisted his gaze back, an irritated expression on his face, but then turned and followed the knights out.

"I take it you will not be attending services for some time?" Rauru asked the lieutenant, a small smile resting under his white moustache.

"I am afraid not, Keeper, although I pray that my return is not too far delayed."

"As do I, Daphnes. Be safe, my friend."

Lieutenant Nohansen bowed to Rauru, then left to rejoin his men.


	16. Unexpected Aid

Well... it would seem "Sunday" that I promised certainly didn't happen. I've finally learned my lesson, though—don't make promises. I got some written that day, but then I got sick. And then I got a new job. And then I got Soul Calibur III. So it wasn't my fault! Okay... Soul Calibur was my fault.

Anyways, I couldn't find any way to fit a review of the previous chapters into this one, so I'm going to do something else. If anyone wants me to write a review of the story so far, separate from any regular chapter, just let me know in your review. If I get at least one request, I'll do it. So, if you want to be reminded of what's happened, let me know, and your wish is my command. Well, that's that. On to reviewer responses.

_Chips Dip_: I'm so sorry I keep taking so long. I'll try to do better, thank you for being so enthusiastic and faithful. Your reviews always make it worth writing.

_Ri2_: Hmm indeed. To borrow Robert Jordan's ever-popular answer, RAFO (read and find out).

_Talimthewindwaker_: Thank you for such a compliment! And yes, much to early to reveal anything. Well, one hint, perhaps. You're question assumes that Fait is Zelda's father. Whether this will be the case is still quite unknown (to the readers, anyways).

_Winged Knight_: A chase scene, eh? Maybe so. Thank you for reading!

_Depprium_: That makes me so happy to hear! Update, I have. Soon, not quite. Sorry, I'll try to do better...

_Sakume_: I missed you too! I was worried you had given up on me, but I certainly would not have blamed you. I really need to catch up on your stories!

* * *

The path leading from the Temple of Time to the wall surrounding Hyrule Castle Town was narrow, walled on the left by a cliff that rose to meet Death Mountain in the north, and on the right by the backs of Castle Town houses. There was not a single gap between the buildings, and they formed a solid wall the entire length of the path.

Ganondorf hurried Nabooru, wrapped in his cape to replace her missing shirt, pulling her by hand along the path. After several minutes, they reached the end of the path—the high stone wall that surrounded all of Castle Town. The two of them scaled the cliff to their left to reach the top of the wall, then leapt over, landing in the shallows of the river bordering the wall. Swimming across, Ganondorf was the first to climb to the adjacent shore, and he turned to help Nabooru out. She remained on her knees, panting heavily.

"We must not tarry," Ganondorf said to her, concern in his voice. "Shall I carry you?"

Looking up, she seemed surprised at his question. After a moment's pause, she shook her head, and stood. "No, I can keep up."

Ganondorf nodded, and pointed west. "There is a forest there, looks to be only a few miles away. We can find cover." With that, he set toward it at a steady jog, Nabooru keeping pace beside him.

They had been running for only ten or fifteen minutes when they heard the sound of horses behind them. "They have caught our trail," proclaimed the Gerudo king. "We must run again."

The two Gerudo abandoned their energy-conserving trot and broke into a full-out sprint. Only several minutes behind them, a full score of horsemen crested a hill in full pursuit. At the sight of the Gerudo, the archers released a hail of arrows, but they fell short of their target. Two lancers then broke from the group, pushing their horses even faster, and gained quickly on Ganondorf and Nabooru.

Just as the fleeing pair neared the edge of the forest, the two lancers overtook them. Urging Nabooru ahead, Ganondorf allowed himself to fall behind. The first horseman approached him at full gallop, stabbing his lance toward Ganondorf. The Gerudo leaped over the thrust, dealing the soldier a solid swipe with his broadsword, which threw the man from his horse. At the same time, a long chain seemed to materialize out of the trees, wrapping around the front legs of the second soldier's horse. The horse's front fell out from under it, and as its face impacted the ground in a burst of soil, it flipped forward, breaking its spine and crushing its rider beneath it. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the chain pulled back to the tree line.

The wielder of the chain stepped from behind a tree. He was tall, only slightly less so than Ganondorf, and quite thin. He wore a simple cloth white robe and cape. Matted brown hair fell to his shoulders, and a reddish moustache and goatee framed his mouth. Ganondorf observed that his long chain was attached on one end with a handle, and the other with a wicked-looking curved blade.

"Into the tent!" he shouted, beckoning the two Gerudo past him. They had no room to argue, or even wonder who their savior was, and obeyed without hesitation. A few yards behind him, hidden among the trees, was a rather large yellow tent, which they entered, glad for the respite from their pursuers. Peering out the front flap, Ganondorf watched the young robed man confront the twenty-some mounted and fully armored soldiers.

The leader of the soldiers—not Dorcas, Ganondorf noted, who rode beside him—raised his right hand, ordering a full halt. The Hyrulian phalanx came to a stop several feet away from the man blocking their advance.

"We have no business with you," Dorcas informed him. "Move aside and allow us to apprehend the criminals we pursue."

The robed man's mouth turned to a half-smile. "That was your test, you know. Had you simply asked nicely, I would have handed them over."

The other leader of the knights, who had ordered the halt, moved forward, removing his helmet. He had to hold Dorcas back to prevent him from charging the man before them in a fury. "I apologize for the rashness of my colleague, but we do not have time to delay. I am High Lieutenant Daphnes Nohansen of the Royal Hyrulian Army. If you would allow us to apprehend the Gerudo fugitives, we can possibly overlook your—" he turned to the soldier who was crushed under his horse—"indiscretion."

The young man twirled his chained blade idly. "That was a little better. You could probably teach him a thing or two," he commented, pointing the blade at Dorcas. "But, I'm afraid there's no second chance on this test, so you're out of luck."

Nohansen frowned. "I see. Then you force my hand." With a flick of his wrist, the archers behind them nocked their bows, calculated the arch to their robed target instantly, and released.

Their target, however, was not cooperative. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a small sheet of paper, and threw it into the air before him. "Barrier!" he shouted, and the arrows falling toward him bounced harmlessly off of the air before the paper and fell to the ground. With a quick salute, the young man turned and ran into the trees. Stunned by the halting of their arrows, the knights lost a precious few seconds before giving chase.

Ganondorf stepped aside as the man raced into the tent and immediately shouted another command: "Fade!" A large red symbol on the tent ceiling flashed a light blue, but nothing else happened. The galloping horses came to a stop just outside the tent, the shadows playing across the fabric as several of the soldiers dismounted.

Ganondorf was about to rush from the tent in a panic when the man grabbed his arm. Putting his finger to his mouth, he indicated with a wink that the Gerudo should remain quiet. Ganondorf had no option but to obey, and he listened to the voices outside the tent.

"Bloody tricks!" he heard Dorcas curse. "He was mere seconds ahead of us. Where has he got to?"

Nohansen's voice was much more controlled. "They must be hiding nearby." His shadow stretched to the peak of the tent as he waved his arm. "Spread out and find them. Capture if possible; kill if necessary."

Most of the shadow figures upon the yellow fabric shrunk and disappeared as the knights began to disperse throughout the trees. A few of the shadows grew, however, as their owners approached the tents. Ganondorf saw Nabooru fidget nervously, knowing they would find them in the tent. Looking to their mysterious savior, however, he saw only confidence.

As the first knights approached the tent, their silhouettes consumed all of the light that still fell upon it. They walked until they were nearly touching the cloth barrier—and then they walked _through _it. Nabooru let out a small squeak of surprise before the robed man clamped a hand onto her mouth. One of the knights looked around suspiciously, asking his companions if they had heard anything, but eventually they shrugged and moved forward to continue their search. At this point, Ganondorf decided that it was particularly unsettling to have people walk through him.

The knights continued searching for several minutes, while Nohansen and Dorcas remained where they were and awaited their targets' capture. Ganondorf began to feel lightheaded—or perhaps even "lightbodied" was a better description. His entire being began to feel almost insubstantial, and his mind wanted to black out, though he fought fervently against it. Finally, though, the knights began to return to their commanders. Just as Ganondorf thought that he could fight unconsciousness no longer, the last knight returned, and Nohansen gave his order.

"If we have not found them yet, they must have continued running, and we have lost too-valuable time. We must return to the castle."

"Return to the castle empty-handed, and face Umbar Fait's wrath? Are you _mad_?" Dorcas interrupted with a scowl. Several knights murmured their agreement, but Nohansen remained as placid as ever.

"Mounted knights cannot give chase through forest. From the castle we can send out trackers. And His Majesty did not underestimate the Gerudo's trickery. He has already formulated a plan in the event of their escape."

Dorcas' scowl deepened at being so easily rebutted by Nohansen, but he nodded in agreement, and turned his mount. The phalanx of knights followed behind, leaving the forest surrounding the tent quiet as the sound of galloping horses faded into the distance.

After waiting several beats, Ganondorf and Nabooru's rescuer exhaled loudly, as if he had been holding in a breath as long as he could. A weight seemed to drop on Ganondorf's body as his feeling of insubstantiality instantly disappeared, reality pulling him back to where he belonged. His head pounded. Looking across from him, he saw Nabooru wincing with her head in her hands. The robed man simply looked exhausted, and panted heavily.

"I've never stayed in the Immaterial Realm so long," he made out between breaths. "I was beginning to worry there would be... consequences." Based on the tone of his voice, Ganondorf did not ask him to clarify what he meant by "consequences."

Still, he had seemingly endless questions that he _did _want clarified. "Who are you?" he asked. "Why did you help us? How did you do that? What exactly _did _you do? Where—" he was cut off as the questions all poured out at once, and he choked on his own words.

"Slow down, slow down," the young man urged, catching his breath. "Let me answer those one at a time, if you could. Who am I?" he laughed wistfully, almost sorrowfully. "I wish I could tell you. Why did I help you? Because I was bored. What did I do and how? Well, it's something called "kanji magic," but that's all I can say without a rather lengthy explanation."

He held up his hand, forestalling Ganondorf as he opened his mouth to ask more questions. "Anyways, I did save you, so I think I have the right to ask a question or two, right?" Ganondorf closed his mouth, and after a second, agreed.

The man continued. "Thank you. Well, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you two have made an enemy of Hyrule. How was that brought about?"

Ganondorf glowered, a menacing tinge to his voice. "Umbar Fait seeks to bring all the nations of Hyrule under his grasp. He has killed my friends, and he has killed my mentor—my father. We have not made an enemy of Hyrule. Hyrule has made an enemy of us."

The robed man nodded, his face instantly serious. "I see." He reached his hand out and grasped Ganondorf's, shaking it. "Then you have found yourselves an ally in your battle."

Ganondorf was nonplussed, and could only let his hand be shaken loosely. Nabooru asked the question that his mouth would not form. "Just like that? Why would you defy the strongest nation in Hyrule for two people that you just met?"

He gave her his most charming smile. "Four reasons," he said, ticking them off with his fingers. "First, I am no great friend of Hyrule, and by saving you, I've already made myself its enemy. Second, as stated before, I am bored. Third," he indicated to another red symbol on the roof of the tent, next to the "fade" symbol, "it is quite impossible for you to lie to me while inside this tent. And most importantly," he reached for Nabooru's hand, kissing it lightly, "it is my policy to always help beautiful women." He nodded toward the cape wrapped around her chest, still smiling. "Especially those missing articles of clothing." Nabooru's dark skin reddened at the comment.

"Well, if that's all cleared up, we ought get moving. We have no more than an hour before their trackers show up." He stood, indicating that they should do the same.

"Oh, and I don't believe I properly introduced myself." He smiled jovially, his small, dark beard contrasting the bright teeth. "You can call me Blu."


	17. Night Dealings

Well, even I didn't know if it would happen, but I actually finished another chapter. Sorry it's been so long (again), but I've really just been busy with life and stuff, and lost interest for a bit. Hopefully I'll be writing more frequently again, but I'm not going to force it. Chapters will come when they come. Oh, and no more review replies in-story, since ffn has finally added a reply option. All reviews will receive replies, because I'm thankful for all of you who take the time to read this!

* * *

A cool wind blew through the stone window, causing Hama to huddle deeper inside her sheets. Though during the day it was the hottest place in Hyrule, Gerudo Valley's chill nights could be equally as threatening as the sweltering afternoons. Turning in her bed, Hama's mind raced with thought, as ever, and sleep eluded her, as ever.

It had been nearly two months since Kirandorf, Ganondorf, and Nabooru had left the Valley. There had been absolutely no word from them, which surely meant that the Sheikah girl had succeeded in her goal. So why was her mind plagued by worry, night and day?

She thought of Nabooru, the unfortunate casualty of her scheming. She had not wanted Nabooru involved in any of this; she had tried everything to convince the fourteen-year-old to remain in the Valley, but the girl was too enthralled with Ganondorf. Hama could not let Nabooru's foolish decision affect what had to be done.

She thought of Kirandorf, of what he would do to her if he had somehow managed to live. On nights that sleep finally did claim her, her dreams would be haunted by him. She could almost feel his vengeful punishment, and would wake howling in terror. But no—that was foolishness. He most certainly had to be dead.

Most of all, though, she thought of Ganondorf. She truly did love the boy like a son (though, of course, like nearly all Gerudo, she would never know what having a son really felt like). Miranii, may the Goddesses bless her sleep, had been her best friend, and to condemn Miranii's only child had been the most difficult decision of her long life.

Hama turned in the bed once more, her short, graying hair brushing against the cucco-feather pillow. The hair felt more brittle each day. She was no longer young, a fact she was reminded of daily. She held stewardship over Gerudo Valley in wake of Kirandorf's (permanent—she forced the thought) absence. But she needed to prepare a successor, something that would take several years, if she even had that long left. She had intended that successor to be Nabooru, but she was almost certainly dead now. There seemed to be no other potential candidate in the village, however. Those that were strong and bright enough were too devoted to the old ways—they could never be convinced of what needed to be done to secure the Gerudo people's longevity. And those that were not so attached to the old ways were too foolish to lead a nation, albeit a small one. Curse Nabooru for following her lust rather than her duty!

Growling in frustration, Hama stood from her bed, wrapping her sheets around herself for warmth. There would be no sleep for her tonight. As she walked toward the door, deciding what she could occupy her mind with in lieu of sleep, she suddenly stopped and dropped the sheets to a heap on the ground. She forgot about the cold, she forgot about the indecency of her nightwear. All she could do was stare, and speak a single word.

"You!"

A massive figure stood in her doorway, blocking the only exit from the room. He wore the same black traveler's gear and white cape as he had when he had left, though his white hair and beard had grown since then. His eyes were fixated on the wall, unmoving. Kirandorf said not a word.

"Y...you're back!" Hama forced her voice to steady. "Thank the Goddesses you made it; we were beginning to worry. Ganondorf and Nabooru are with you as well?"

"They are not." Nothing more came from the king's mouth.

Hama willfully gathered her composure. Lifting the fallen blankets, she replaced them on her bed, though she did not turn her back on her visitor. Picking a long nightshirt from beside the bed, she slid the garment over her head, feeling somehow more confident with the more decent covering it allowed.

"Where are they?" she asked. "I would not expect you to return without them." She chose her words with precision, not wanting to alert Kirandorf to her involvement in a conspiracy to kill him. She hoped that he did not know of it already.

"They will be returning before long." Still, the King's eyes refused to look on her, and stared ahead as if frozen in place. "I shall announce my return at first light. I will also be residing here. You may relocate to a room downstairs."

"You aren't staying in the Spirit Temple?" Her surprise was so great, that the words burst from Hama's mouth before she could squelch them.

"No," was his only reply, and he turned to leave the room. As his body turned, his pupils still remained fixed in one direction, until the eyelids overtook them and only the whites of the Gerudo king's eyes could be seen. Something about it both unsettled and nauseated Hama.

Left alone, Hama's thoughts raced wildly as she began to gather her belongings. Kirandorf did not seem himself. Though necessarily stern enough to lead his people, the king had always been gentle and warm toward them as well. It was possible that he was just weary from the long journey; but it was also possible that he knew everything.

Hama knew of the reputation of the Sheikah. There was no question that the girl would have met them, as Hama had given her precise instructions as to their destination, yet Kirandorf, and apparently Ganondorf and Nabooru as well, lived. So the only possible options seemed to be three. She had been killed, she had been captured, or she had been forced to escape without fulfilling her mission. Hama sincerely hoped it was either the former or the latter—if the girl had been captured, Kirandorf could have forced information from her.

A contingency plan was necessary. Hama had to act as if Kirandorf (and, indeed, she herself) knew nothing, but think as if he knew everything. He was a formidable opponent—well and again her match physically—but with a little luck and a lot of planning, she could remove him as an obstacle. That had, of course, been her plan for years. Umbar Fait's offer of aid had simply been an easy way to execute the plan. Or, it was meant to be an easy way, but even the vaunted Sheikah had bungled. She could count only on herself, now.

And so, Hama, former steward of Gerudo Valley packed her belongings, and she plotted. "Former steward" was not a title she was satisfied with.

* * *

In the middle of the Haunted Wasteland, silent except for the mournful howl of the ever-stirring sands, a melody drifted in the air, carried by the wind. It was a low, almost saddening tune, and yet against the stark deadness of the desert it would seek out ears, calling to them with its voice, if only there was a soul to hear it. The blowing sands before the Desert Colossus swirled, suddenly detouring around an unseen obstacle. There was a shining of light within these sands, and then the melody stopped, leaving a lithe figure in its wake.

Erryn tucked the small harp reverently into a holster on her back. The instrument was a sacred and powerful magical relic of the Sheikah, created in conjunction with the royal family's Ocarina of Time. This was the first time she had been permitted to use it—her thanks would certainly need to be bestowed to His Majesty.

Moving through the night, Erryn was practically invisible due to the combination of darkness and obscuring sand. A thick cloak covered her traditional blue and white Sheikah garments to protect her from the chill air of the desert night. She walked briskly in the direction of the Gerudo village. Though the Gerudo thought, arrogantly, that only they could navigate the Wasteland (and, even then, only the kings), the Sheikah had long known the lay of every corner of Hyrule, whether they were welcome or not.

_A guest tonight  
I did not forsee.  
We meet again, fair Sheikah  
How fortunate for me._

Erryn stopped in her path, an annoyed twitch of her eyebrow indicating just how little she desired the Phantom Guide's company. Wordlessly, her hand fell to her waist, and her circular Tek'talla sliced through the air, cleaving the Poe in two. A small, smiling green flame remained behind in the space the ghost had formerly occupied, then with an ethereal laugh, faded. Of course, the thing would be back—you couldn't kill a Poe that easily—but it would leave her alone for the time being.

Eventually reaching the small shrine that stood halfway between the Colossus and the valley, Erryn began to follow the flags that delineated the correct path. She soon reached the river of sand. With a quick burst of speed, she leaped into the air over the flowing quicksand, though it would have been obvious had anyone been watching that she could not hope to complete such a jump. Instead, she flung out an arm, and from her cloak flew a long wire with a weight attached to the end. This wrapped several times around the flag post at the other end of the river, and she pulled on this wire to increase her momentum and swing across to solid ground. Unwrapping the wire from the post, she returned it to her cloak, and then continued to the large gate that barred off the village.

Erryn had no interest in alerting the watchtower guard of her presence, so rather than climb the gate, she moved to the natural wall that the mountains formed beside the gate. She removed two small chisels from her satchel, and forced them into cracks in the stone. She continued this process until she reached the top of the wall, higher even than the guard's post at the gate. It was a short distance along the top of the rock wall before she was directly above the Gerudo Fortress. A single woman patrolled the fortress roof. When she was a safe distance away, her back turned, Erryn slid down the mountain to land on the roof, then immediately leapt over the edge, swinging through the window directly below her.

She landed in Hama's room, which she had been expecting. The other woman was awake, which she had not been expecting. Hama jumped in surprise at Erryn's sudden entrance, and the Sheikah rushed forward, clamping a hand around her mouth before she screamed in shock.

"It is me. Keep silent."

The Gerudo nodded in understanding as her pulse began to return to normal, and Erryn released her. Moving to the doorway, Erryn slid the curtain shut as Hama berated her with an angry whisper.

"Why is Kirandorf still alive? You assured me that he would be dealt with!"

Erryn responded with an angry whisper of her own. "What are you talking about? I saw him killed before my own eyes. The boy and girl escaped—I am here to await their arrival."

Hama glared daggers at the young girl. "Kirandorf is alive and well, and has returned to reclaim his place as king. The Gerudo cannot thrive under this antiquated patriarchal system! I agreed to rule the Gerudo under the authority of your King Fait under the promise that the King of Thieves would be dealt with. But it seems the abilities of the Shiekah are vastly overstated by rumor."

The insult had its effect. Erryn took a single step forward, a threatening finger pointed at Hama. "You will not deride the honor of the Sheikah, Gerudo."

The older woman did not respond, but was instead staring at the doorway behind Erryn with eyes wide with shock. The girl turned quickly, but it was too late. Kirandorf's fist collided with the side of her head, rocketing her into the wall to slump to the floor.

"That is all I wanted to hear, Hama. My curiosity is sated." Kirandorf stepped toward Hama.

The Gerudo woman backed toward the wall, pleading. "No, my king... what you heard, that is not really the truth! It was a ruse to gain Fait's trust, I swear it!"

Kirandorf pulled his broadsword from the scabbard on his back. With a shriek, Hama leapt from her window in an attempt to escape the king's wrath. The guards on patrol who came to investigate the scream would find her body crumpled and broken on the stone beneath the window. It was a long fall, and she was not the young, lithe Gerudo she had once been.

The Gerudo king turned from the window, his broadsword remaining unsheathed, and walked back toward Erryn, still lying on the floor. As he stood before her, though, the Sheikah's eyes shot open, and she kicked out at Kirandorf's knee with blinding speed. His leg bent backward with a crack of bone under the force of her kick, as no leg is meant to bend, and the Gerudo fell to the ground.

Rolling to a crouch, both Tek'talla were removed from their place on Erryn's belt, and she swung them at the prone Gerudo. Kirandorf rolled out of the range of the strike, however, and Erryn rolled in the opposite direction, fearing a retaliatory attack. As she stood, she watched as the old warrior opposite her took hold of his broken leg, and with a jerk of his arms and a loud snap, forced the bone back into place. His face did not betray even a hint of pain, and he stood up, ready to face her, though his knee should have been shattered.

"Why are you here?" Erryn demanded. "You should be dead. I saw Dorcas and His Majesty kill you."

That was when she saw the scar tissue on the back of his neck and his throat. That was when she saw that no matter how his head turned, his eyes remained fixed on a single spot, never looking at her. Her breath caught in her throat, and her next statement was in a terrified, hushed voice.

"You are dead, aren't you?"

A humorless laugh came from the Gerudo's mouth. "Very good, girl." He then leapt forward once more, with no indication that his knee had ever been broken.

Backed into a corner, Erryn was on the defensive. His broadsword came soaring down from above her head, and she raised her Tek'talla in defense. The attack was deflected, and she caught the weapon underneath the blade of one Tek'talla. She twisted it aside in an attempt to disarm the dead king, and struck at him with her second weapon.

She was foiled, however, when he pulled backward on his caught sword, overpowering her completely and wrenching broadsword and Tek'talla from her grip. Her attack was deflected harmlessly off of his large gold bracelet. Continuing the motion of swinging back the broadsword, Kirandorf used the hilt of the weapon to fiercely uppercut the young Sheikah, lifting her from the ground. His free hand then shot out, catching her by the neck and holding her against the wall, her feet dangling several inches off of the ground.

Erryn instinctively dropped her second Tek'talla, both of her hands grasping at the hand on her throat, desperately trying to escape the choking hold. Her struggles were futile however, and the image of Kirandorf's face, filled with bloodlust, eyes staring somewhere to the left, faded into black as she fell into an oxygen-starved unconsciousness.


End file.
